Entries by Stephanie Govaerts

Dag van Progress 2025 | Key Takeaways HCSS & Clingendael

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Op 13 november organiseerden The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies en The Clingendael Institute in samenwerking met het Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken en Ministerie van Defensie de jaarlijkse Dag van Progress. Het centrale thema van de dag stond in het teken Europese soevereiniteit in tijden van veranderende trans-Atlantische verhoudingen, en wat hierin de kansen en uitdagingen zijn voor Nederland en Europa. Samen met onderzoekers, beleidsmakers en strategische denkers verkenden we wat dit betekent voor Europa’s strategische autonomie, defensie-industrie en technologische weerbaarheid.

New report | European Military Fuel Readiness: The Role of Alternative Fuels in Military Logistics 

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What does the energy transition in the military look like? The use of alternative fuels in the military brings challenges and opportunities, but while fossil fuels are slowly phased out, advanced and sustainable biofuels as well as synthetic fuels – are introduced. This report analyses the energy transition for military fuel readiness across the air, land and maritime domains as of 2025. Relating fuel properties and infrastructure to the operational needs of the military and providing 5 takeaways.

Event Recap | From Dayton to Brussels: 30 Years of Peace, deadlock, and an EU path for Bosnia and Herzegovina

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To mark thirty years since the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, on November 21st, 2025, HCSS, the Clingendael Institute, and the BiH-NL Think Tank convened policymakers, scholars, diplomats, and civil society representatives to assess Dayton’s legacy and Bosnia’s prospects of moving from the “Dayton phase” to the “Brussels phase”. Discussions highlighted Dayton’s dual role as a peace settlement and a constitutional framework, the structural deadlock it created, rising geopolitical pressures, and the growing importance of civic engagement. Read the full event recap here.

HCSS General Internship open for applications (start date February 2026)

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HCSS is looking for new interns to start in February 2026! Are you a student interested in geopolitics and international security? The HCSS internship is a dynamic and varied opportunity in research, analysis, data, communication, design, networking, copy writing, policy development, and event support. Deadline to apply is January 4th!

HCSS Draghi Revisited Report Series | Expert Commentary

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One year after Mario Draghi’s landmark report, HCSS launches Draghi Revisited, the second edition of its Draghi Report Series. Despite rising political attention, Europe remains dependent in key defence, raw materials, cleantech and digital sectors, while global pressures intensify. Following the impact of their initial series, HCSS analysts Ron Stoop and Berend Kwak were invited to the European Commission’s conference marking the report’s anniversary, and now return to assess how far Europe has advanced toward industrial, technological and economic sovereignty. This new edition revisits Draghi’s warnings sector by sector, reviewing the EU’s concrete steps over the past year.

New Event | Hybrid Pressures, Strategic Responses: Small and Middle Powers in the Age of China’s Influence

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HCSS is pleased to invite you to join the Symposium ‘Hybrid Pressures, Strategic Responses: Small and Middle Powers in the Age of China’s Influence’ on 16 December 2025. This in-person event brings together European and Asian experts to examine China’s expanding use of hybrid tactics and their impact on small and middle powers. The event will explore how states are responding, how China’s activities differ from other hybrid threats, and where opportunities exist to strengthen Europe–Asia cooperation and resilience.

Laura Birkman on Gender, Climate and Security at the Berlin Security and Climate Conference

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Laura Birkman, Director of the Climate, Water & Food Security Programme, was the keynote speaker of an official side event at the Berlin Security and Climate Conference on 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 to celebrate 𝟮𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮. She emphasised that sustainable peace is achieved by building connections and integrating the fields of gender, environment, and security, rather than by allowing them to operate in parallel.

Securing Water, Sustaining Peace: Involving Defence and Security Actors in Addressing the Water Security Nexus

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Two weeks ago, HCSS strategic analyst Thijs van Aken represented The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) at the International Conference on Water, Peace and Security in Nairobi, Kenya, organised by the Water, Peace & Security (WPS) Partnership. The event, themed “Water as a Catalyst for Peace and Cooperation”, brought together governments, international organisations, civil society, researchers, and practitioners to explore how water can serve as a driver for peace rather than conflict. 

HCSS Strengthens Singapore–Netherlands Cooperation on Critical Undersea Infrastructure Protection 

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Dr. Tim Sweijs and Benedetta Girardi recently visited Singapore for a seminar on critical undersea infrastructure protection, co-organised by HCSS with the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Singapore and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). The event brought together practitioners and experts from both countries to examine how bilateral cooperation can strengthen protection, resilience and governance of undersea infrastructure. The discussions converged three key takeaways for future Singapore–Netherlands cooperation.

WPS Symposium Recap | From Fragility to Resilience: Engaging Defence and Security Actors in Water Security

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On November 5th, 2025, HCSS hosted a Water Peace and Security (WPS) 4D Mini-Symposium – From Fragility to Resilience: Engaging Defence and Security Actors in Water Security. This event explored the role of defence and security actors in tackling water-related security challenges. This report synthesises the key take-aways from the event: (1) Foster Cross-Sectoral Trust and Understanding, (2) Build Comprehensive Cooperation Structures and (3) Understand Local Realities.