Beginning in 2014, high-level German politicians spoke plainly about a more responsible and more substantial German foreign policy¿including stronger German (military) contributions and commitments on the African continent. In light of these public statements, three years of mixed policy outcomes have raised questions about the factors that determine Germany¿s decision-making on military engagements in Africa (and elsewhere) and the extent to which Germany¿s engagement in Africa since 2011 corresponds with Berlin¿s desire to take greater responsibility in matters of global security. Anchored in the case studies of Libya and Mali, this volume argues that within a complex interplay of determinants on three inter-related levels, six factors¿strategic