How countries manage their security and defence against international threats in the most basic way – war and peace, in other words – is back in fashion. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war in Gaza, coups and civil wars in a number of African countries, and the threat of military escalation in east Asia, be it in Taiwan, the South China Sea or the Korean peninsula, have made sure of that.
By now, however, no one disputes that foreign policy is about a lot more than diplomacy, intelligence, strategic alliances or weapons stockpiles. It should also encompass, for example, the climate crisis, food security and artificial intelligence. There is a long way to go but recognition of the overlapping complexity was on full display at the recent Munich security conference, the annual gathering known as the Davos of defence.
