The Baltic Defence College hosted a seminar on Effects Based Approach to Operations on 12-13 March 2008. The key objective of the conference was to explore the challenges of implementing the EBAO as it is accepted by NATO, European and Coalition forces, to enhance knowledge and understanding. The seminar not only focused on how EBAO is applied in major military operations taking place today, but also the civilian applications and on how to possibly apply the EBAO concept in the whole spectrum of operations, from Counter-Insurgency and Peace Support to Humanitarian Relief operations.

The seminar was chaired by Mr. Frederic Labarre, and Head of Department for Political and Strategic Studies at the Baltic Defence College. Opening remarks were given by Brigadier General Gundars Ābols, the Commandant of the Baltic Defense College (click here to view the opening remarks of seminar on EBAO presented by Commandant Ābols).

The seminar was held in three sessions. The first session was started by Captain Berend Burwitz, NATO HQ SACT, who provided an overview of the background, actual status, challenges, and possible way ahead of the NATO Approach to EBAO. The next speaker Professor Milan Vego from the Naval War College in Rhode Island presented a critical view on EBAO. Lieutenant Colonel Keith Robinson from Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre in UK introduced the position of EBA in UK Joint Doctrine and described UKÂ’s experience of EBA.

The second session was started by Mr. Taimar Peterkop, Director of the Operations and Crises Management Department of the Estonian MoD, who talked about a comprehensive approach to the Interagency Cooperation and Coordination. The session was followed by an overview of EBAO from the Latvian Civilian and Military Perspectives presented by Mr. Jãnis Garisons, Director of Crisis Management and Mobilisation, Department of Ministry of Defence of Latvia. The session was concluded by Lieutenant Colonel Kari Pietiläinen from the Finnish Defence Command who shared the Finnish approach to EBAO.

The last, third, session which concentrated on national approaches to EBAO was opened with the presentation of the French Approach by Capt (N) Jacques Sueur from the Centre Interarmées de Concepts, Doctrines et Expérimentations, and the Swedish approach was demonstrated by Major General Michael Moore, Chief of Development of Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters. The session was concluded by Lieutenant General Kurt Ebbe Rosgaard of the Danish Air Force who shared his experiences and insights into the Concerted Planning and Action.

The sessions were finalized by a round-table discussion dedicated to the implications and applications of EBAO. At the end of the seminar Brigadier General Gundars Ābols, the Commandant of the Baltic Defence College expressed his gratitude to all the participants of the seminar (click here to view the concluding remarks of EBAO seminar presented by Commandant Ābols).

Conclusions that can be drawn from the EBAO seminar state that the event leaves much to explore. For example, most presenters developed their notes around state-state contingencies, rather than state-non-state actor or state-failed state contingencies, which are troubling the Alliance and the coalition in Afghanistan and Iraq. The input of non-military ministries and issues of post-conflict reconstruction relative to EBAO also give ground for a follow-on conference. In essence, EBAO is a way of thinking which remains controversial. The seminar helped clarify the subject in that the effects-based approach is mostly a planning and analysis tool, not necessarily an operational concept. Furthermore, the so-called comprehensive approach is inclusive of EBAO, which is the military portion of the comprehensive approach, whereas the remainder of stabilization and reconstruction operations is mostly a civilian task supported by the enabling presence of low-intensity military forces.