Executive Summary
State Secretary Markus Mäder represents the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) on April 21 and 22, 2026 at the Civil Defence Forum in Stockholm. The conference, organized by the British think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), addresses resilience and civil defence against hybrid conflicts. Mäder participates in a panel on public-private partnerships for integrated crisis resilience and presents Swiss experiences. The conference brings together security experts from Europe, North America, and Asia. Swiss delegates also conduct bilateral talks on security policy cooperation.
People
- Markus Mäder (State Secretary DDPS)
- Johan Berggren (State Secretary, Swedish Ministry of Civil Defence)
Topics
- Civil defence and resilience
- Hybrid conflict conduct
- Public-private partnerships
- Security Policy Strategy 2026
Clarus Lead
The forum signals growing European focus on societal crisis resilience beyond classical military defence. Stockholm's selection as host underscores Sweden's pioneering role – a context in which Switzerland brings its decentralized experience in civil-military cooperation. Switzerland's Security Policy Strategy 2026 prioritizes comprehensive security; the forum provides a platform to synchronize this orientation with international partners and deepen bilateral security relations.
Detailed Summary
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Civil Defence Forum establishes itself as a new European security conference with emphasis on resilience and civil defence. The conference addresses the challenge of hybrid conflict conduct – a scenario combining military, economic, informational, and societal dimensions. The focus on civil-military cooperation and international coordination reflects a paradigm shift: national security is no longer understood primarily as a military task, but as a whole-of-society resilience task.
Mäder's panel participation on "Integrated Resilience – Public-Private Partnerships" positions Switzerland as an actor with practical experience in coordinating between public authorities and the private sector. This expertise is relevant because critical infrastructures (energy, telecommunications, water) face increasingly hybrid threats, and their protective capacity depends on cooperation mechanisms. The bilateral talks of the Swiss delegation with international counterparts serve to exchange concrete implementation approaches and enable networking within the security policy establishment.
Key Messages
- Switzerland presents resilience strategy at European security forum as response to hybrid threats
- Focus lies on public-private cooperation to strengthen critical infrastructures
- Bilateral talks deepen security policy cooperation relations
Critical Questions
Evidence: What specific Swiss best practices on public-private partnerships are presented, and on what evaluation data are these based?
Source Validity: To what extent does the IISS conference represent the European mainstream of security policy, or does it position a specific strategic narrative?
Conflicts of Interest: Which private companies are represented in the panel, and are there potential conflicts of interest between security recommendations and commercial interests?
Causality: Do bilateral talks at such forums lead to concrete agreements, or do they primarily serve information exchange without binding consequences?
Implementability: How are insights from the forum operationalized in Switzerland's Security Policy Strategy 2026?
Risks: What risks arise from increased civil-military entanglement for the independence of civil institutions?
Sources
Primary Source: State Secretary Mäder represents DDPS at Civil Defence Forum Stockholm – news.admin.ch, 21.04.2026
Verification Status: ✓ 21.04.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 21.04.2026