Publications

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BICC’S mission statement is: “Peace, security and development through research, advisory services and training.” In other words, security and the transformation of conflicts can only be achieved by simultaneously promoting both peace and development. This normative approach is also included in the general concept of ‘conversion’, which is devoted to reducing and transforming military stockpiles, military processes and capacities. BICC has actively developed this concept over the last eighteen years.  
Seen from this point of view, ‘conversion’ is thus a perception of peace and security that extends beyond the narrow focus of the military security of nation states. BICC has identified six program areas in reply to some of the challenges facing peace and security in the 21st century. This will encourage greater overlaps and synergies in BICC’s fields of research, advisory services and capacity development. This development is reflected in the current Annual Report 2011/2012.
Let’s begin with the program area of Arms—Global trends, exports, control: Since as far back as 2002, BICC has drafted and constantly updated country portraits on security, arms and development in states receiving German arms exports. The current Annual Report presents the latest results with regard to the Asian states of India, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines. It also contains an updated map of the Global Militarization Index (GMI) 2012, showing the relative size and importance of a state’s military apparatus in relation to its society as a whole. 
The Annual Report considers the topic of small arms and light weapons (SALW) within the framework of three projects. On the one hand, it reports on the development of new portable air-defense systems, so-called “MANPADS” (“Man-portable air defense systems”). 
On the other hand, it presents an interactive database on the recognition and proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The third SALW project is at the interface with the program “Security—Stakeholders, systems, threats”. The project deals with efforts by South Sudan to improve the storage and control of small arms and light weapons in the security sector. Both projects will be presented at the Second United Nations Review Conference on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons in August/ September 2012 in New York.
BICC researchers have studied private security providers in East Timor, Liberia and Peru. They were particularly interested in the relationship between private security and development cooperation. Although the latter deals with the reform of the security sector, it is also often the ‘client’ purchasing private security services. 
The article entitled “The political economy of security: Commercialization, arms industry and control of migration” deals with the thematic overlaps of “Arms” and “Security” and the program area of “Migration, conflicts and security”. 
The Annual Report presents a project on the local effects of oil production in Melut County, South Sudan under the program area of “Resources and conflicts”. Another BICC research project asks whether ‘fair’ gold is to be had from artisanal and small-scale mining operations in Peru and DR Congo.
“There are likely to be major changes in the landscape of military bases in Germany” is the view put forward in an interview with representatives of the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Building, Housing and Transport of the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia and a BICC expert, and which comes under the program area of “Base conversion”.
The program area of “Data and GIS (Geoinformation Systems)” is obviously involved in a number of individual products such as databases, maps, and infographics. One project that deserves special mention here is the modular information portal on war and peace, sicherheitspolitik.bpb.de, which BICC has developed in association with the German Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb).