WASHINGTON, DC – The Atlantic Council and Munich Security Conference (MSC) today announced a strategic partnership to bolster the transatlantic alliance and rules-based international order.

“In an era of growing political and economic uncertainty and new great power competition, it is imperative that we combine forces to defend and advance the values of democracy, rule of law, open markets and cooperation among like-minded allies,” said Frederick Kempe, Atlantic Council President and CEO. “Thus we are delighted to partner with the Munich Security Conference to galvanize support for transatlantic alliance, which has been the bedrock of peace and prosperity over the last seventy years.”

“The international order largely shaped and upheld by the liberal democracies in North America and Europe is under unprecedented pressure – from without and from within. In times like these, like-minded partners have to stand together,” said Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference. “Thus, I am very grateful that the Munich Security Conference and the Atlantic Council are strengthening their partnership to reinforce the transatlantic bond.”

The new strategic partnership, to formally launch at the 2019 Munich Security Conference on February 15-17, aims to: diversify participation and perspectives at existing Atlantic Council and MSC programming; integrate each other’s expertise and thought leadership into our research and analysis; and build innovative formats and activities to reach new audiences, foster fresh dialogue, and maximize our impact.

Specifically, the Atlantic Council will promote wider American participation in MSC programming across Europe, and stronger German and European perspectives in Atlantic Council programming. Our strategic partnership will inspire new convenings in Germany and the United States. to create new fora for problem-solving among a shared and broad base of decisionmakers and thought leaders.

Building on the success of NATO Engages: The Brussels Summit Dialogue, the Atlantic Council and MSC, along with The German Marshall Fund and other partners, will join forces to host the NATO Engages townhall in Washington DC on April 3 in celebration of the 70th anniversary of NATO. Allied foreign ministers will convene in Washington, DC to commemorate achievements over the last seven decades, address the challenges facing the alliance today, and highlight its enduring value and mission moving forward.

About the Atlantic Council
Driven by our mission of working together to secure the future, the Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic Community’s central role in meeting global challenges. The Council provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic and political changes defining the twenty-first century by informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of global leaders. Through the papers we write, the ideas we generate, and the communities we build, the Council shapes policy choices and strategies to create a more secure and prosperous world.

About the Munich Security Conference
Over the course of the past five decades, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) has developed into the world’s leading forum for the debate of international security policy. Each February, it brings together more than 450 senior decision-makers and thought-leaders from around the world to engage in an intensive debate on current and future challenges. Repeatedly rated as the “Best Think Tank Conference” in the world, the MSC provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to discuss policy at the highest level in a protected and informal space.

For questions, please contact press@atlanticcouncil.org or 1-202-778-4993.