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CSS Mediation Perspectives: The Role of Ceasefires in Peace Processes

Image: © Jeremy Brickhill, Lines of Control and Withdrawal, from «Mediating Security Arrangements in Peace Processes»

Mediation Perspectives is a regular series of blog contributions by the CSS Mediation Support Team and occasional guest authors.

Jeremy Brickhill’s publication “Mediating Security Arrangements in Peace Processes” clarifies the role of ceasefires in a peace process. Understanding this role is necessary if ceasefires are to foster the transition from war to peace rather than leading to a stalemate situation. What is unique about Jeremy’s booklet is that, as a former fighter in the Zimbabwean liberation war with Joshua Nkomo’s Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army, he can provide insights and models of ceasefires from the perspective of someone who knows the psychology of fighters. We have now translated his publication into Russian, Arabic, and Spanish, because there are few publications on ceasefires, and even fewer that highlight the role of ceasefires in a peace process as clearly and practically as his.

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Coronavirus CSS Blog

Overview of Pandemic Preparations in Switzerland (1995-2020)

This graphic illustrates how pandemic preparation in Switzerland has developed over the past 25 years as a step-by-step learning process in step with international developments. The most important driving forces behind the accelerating national and international pandemic preparations were the epidemics and pandemics that occurred between 2002 and 2010: above all the SARS outbreak in Asia in 2002/03, the worldwide spread of the avian flu virus H5N1 from 2004 and the “swine flu” pandemic in 2009/10.

For more on Switzerland’s coronavirus crisis management during the first wave of the pandemic, read our newly published Bulletin 2020 in Swiss Security Policy here (in German).

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Coronavirus CSS Blog

Bulletin 2020: Das Corona-Krisenmanagement der Schweiz während der ersten Pandemiewelle

Die Corona-Pandemie zählt zweifellos zu den grössten Herausforderungen, denen sich die Schweiz seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg gegenübersieht. Aus diesem Grund widmet sich das Bulletin 2020 zur schweizerischen Sicherheitspolitik nahezu ausschliesslich dem Corona-Krisenmanagement der Schweiz während der ersten Welle. Die Beiträge ziehen erste Bilanzen, werfen wichtige Fragen auf und empfehlen, wie zukünftig Krisenvorsorge und -management nachhaltig verbessert werden könnten.

Zum Bulletin 2020

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CSS Blog

Strategic Trends 2020: Wie wahrscheinlich ist ein Krieg zwischen den USA und China?

In diesem Podcast analysieren die CSS-Experten Oliver Thränert, Michael Haas und Niklas Masuhr die Beziehungen zwischen den USA und China und mögliche Ursachen für einen militärischen Konflikt zwischen beiden Grossmächten. Das Gespräch basiert auf dem kürzlich im Rahmen der Publikation «Strategic Trends 2020» erschienenen Kapitel «US-China Relations and the Specter of Great Power War» von Michael Haas und Niklas Masuhr. Strategic Trends ist eine Jahrespublikation des Center for Security Studies der ETH Zürich, die sich wichtigen weltpolitischen Entwicklungen widmet. Strategic Trends 2020 lesen Sie hier.

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Coronavirus CSS Blog

Sicherheit 2019: The Trend of Opinions on Foreign, Security, and Defense Policy

On Tuesday 28 May 2019, the Military Academy at ETH Zurich and the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich published the annual survey “Sicherheit 2019”. Since 1999, the study has evaluated long-term trends and tendencies in public opinion on foreign, security and defense policy issues in Switzerland.

“Sicherheit” is based on representative surveys conducted each year. As well as including a core set of questions that are always addressed or asked at irregular intervals, the survey also deals with current issues of security policy. In line with this, “Sicherheit 2019” focuses on the relations between the US and Switzerland, the global political situation, attitudes towards equal opportunities within the Swiss Armed Forces and communication efforts by the Swiss military. Here, we provide a summary of the findings of this year’s survey.