Course description
The aim of the course is to provide participants with knowledge and skills of strategic planning for civilian CSDP missions with a focus on the EU capabilities as part of the Integrated Approach. The course focuses on knowledge, tools and skills for strategic planning at EU level and primarily in the frame of civilian CSDP.
The course will focus on specific challenges that strategic planners are confronted with in the context of civilian crisis management, taking into account the Strategic Compass, the new Civilian CSDP Missions in Armenia and Moldova and the new Civilian CSDP Compact, adopted on 22 May 2023.
The course is scenario-based and takes an interactive, participatory and learner-centred approach, training participants to translate political vision and strategic guidance towards conceptual application of mission planning. Participants will be testing a digital immersion element, which is currently being developed by a consortium led by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology within the framework of the Austrian Security Research Programme KIRAS to support planning processes.
The course is offered by the Austrian MFA, the Finnish MOI and the Austrian Centre for Peace within the framework of the European Security and Defence College.
Course objectives
Identify EU and CSDP structures, actors, decision-making and planning processes within the CFSP, in particular and EU Crisis Management procedures, planning terminology and methodology as part of the EU integrated approach (PFCA, CMC, civilian and military strategic options, CONOPS, OPLAN.); explain the linkage of CSDP lessons learned and current conceptual frame of civilian CSDP to support planning process for missions and operations.
Identify the effective planning of CSDP as part of conflict analysis and prevention, crisis response, stabilisation and peace mediation; explain effective delivery of an integrated EU response in fragile and conflict-affected areas.
Explain integration of Gender, Human Rights, Children in Armed Conflicts, Protection of Civilians in planning process
Identify the specificities of the different sectors of civilian CSDP as Police, Rule of law, Civilian administration, SSR, Monitoring and other recent concepts (e.g. Mini-concepts) and the synergies with military CSDP
Explain the coordination/cooperation within the external-internal nexus (e.g. the field of Justice and Home Affairs (Freedom, Security and Justice)) and security-development nexus (including civil society, communities and NGOs) as well as with the host nation, international organisations (UN, NATO, AU, NGOs) and Third States
Collect, manage and assess relevant knowledge and information as in EU conflict analysis and/or wider frame of threat analysis, global, regional or local situation and reporting.
Draft key elements of a strategic planning document (e.g. Crisis Management Concept, CMC) for a civilian CSDP mission
Produce relevant planning for a given context (case study) by using existing generic lists for e.g. civilian capability development for CSDP or other conceptual capacities (in e.g. new security challenges). Assess, reason and justify the different needs and steps of the strategic planning process.
Time and venue
27 – 28 June 2024 online and from 8 to 12 July 2024 in Brussels.
Target group
CMC Finland is seeking candidates who are looking to apply for
- CSDP related strategic and operational planning positions in EEAS or
- senior positions in CSDP missions where they will integrate political and strategic considerations into operational activities and operational planning. Such positions which involve planning mission activities include Deputy/Head of Planning/Projects/Operations.
CMC Finland is seeking candidates who have participated in the basic training on civilian crisis management and/or who have been deployed by CMC before. Those who are currently deployed by CMC should primarily apply through their mission/operation. Please contact CMC (training@cmcfinland.fi) if applying through your mission is not possible. CMC Finland can nominate candidate(s) for the course, but the organiser is responsible for the final participant selection process. The nominated candidates of CMC Finland are not guaranteed a seat from the course.
Costs
If CMC Finland’s nominee is selected, CMC will cover the accommodation costs and plane tickets and intra-country travel costs during the residential modules for the selected candidate(s). CMC Finland does not pay per diems nor the meals during the training.
Application
Applicants may apply to the course by filling out the Application Form no later than 24 May 2024 1615 hrs here.
More information
Should you have any questions regarding the course, please contact us by email training@cmcfinland.fi with the headline ‘Strategic Planning Course’.
