Sicherheitskonfiguration

Sicherheitskonferenz, internationally known as the Munich Security Conference (MSC), is an international forum dedicated to security policy. Held annually in Munich, Germany, the conference brings together heads of state and government, foreign and defense ministers, military chiefs, diplomats, researchers, and security experts to discuss current and future security challenges and to debate strategies for international cooperation. The event serves as a platform for informal dialogue, often including private or off-the-record sessions that complement official diplomacy.

The conference originated in 1963 as the Sicherheitspolitische Tagung, created by Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist to foster discussion among Western security policymakers in a dedicated forum. Over the decades it grew from a relatively small, regional gathering into a prominent international platform for security policy, attracting a broader global audience and media attention. Since the early 2000s the MSC has been organized by the Munich Security Conference Foundation, and the event is typically hosted at the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich in February.

Topic coverage spans transatlantic relations, arms control and nonproliferation, regional conflicts, cyber and hybrid threats, energy security, climate security, and human rights considerations. The conference shapes and reflects international security discourse, with keynote addresses, panel debates, and side meetings that can influence policy discussions even if formal outcomes are not binding.

Critics note concerns about exclusivity, representation gaps, and questions about achieving concrete policy results. Nevertheless, the Munich Security Conference is widely regarded as a leading forum for exchange on international security policy and for shaping diplomatic conversations among major global actors.