Lukas Emich, Secretary General of THE SONAR INSTITUTE, has recently produced a compelling video series in collaboration with the German Embassy in Dublin. This initiative aims to shed light on the significant diplomatic undertakings of Germany during its presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2020.
The inaugural video in this series provides an in-depth overview of Germany’s tenure, which commenced on July 1st, 2020. During its six-month presidency, Germany chaired all Council meetings and represented the Council in interactions with other EU institutions. As the presidency is poised to transition to Portugal at the end of the year, this retrospective is timely and insightful.
A central theme of the German presidency was overcoming the myriad challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This involved fostering cooperation to strengthen supply chain resilience and combatting disinformation campaigns. Additionally, Chancellor Angela Merkel emphasized the importance of engaging with Africa, focusing on peace, security, climate policies, and supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Digitalization, common security policy, climate protection, and social cohesion were also highlighted as key priorities. Germany’s economic agenda underlined the necessity of a sovereign and resilient digital infrastructure, the digital participation of citizens in the workforce, and the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises and industry.
Culturally, the German presidency sought to maintain citizen engagement through innovative programs spearheaded by the Goethe-Institute in collaboration with European partners. These programs included intergenerational discussions on European identity and a continent-wide artwork initiative, despite the constraints on in-person events.
On the international stage, Germany’s presidency focused on strengthening ties with the United Kingdom, China, and the United States, while also prioritizing cooperative efforts with African nations on peace, security, and climate issues.
