MSC in Berlin
With its "MSC in Berlin" event series, the MSC brings together representatives of the foreign policy community in Berlin and high-profile guests from within the MSC network for background discussions and briefings in Berlin. In an intimate, off-the-record setting, selected participants from politics, think tanks, business, and media discuss current foreign and security policy challenges with different guests. Previous speakers include Henry Kissinger, Bill Gates or Armenian President Armen Sarkissian.
On June 23, 2025, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) welcomed Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, for another discussion as part of the event series MSC in Berlin. The event was moderated by Wolfgang Ischinger, President of the MSC Foundation Council.
Along with a select group of experts and decision-makers from Berlin’s foreign, development, and security policy communities, Gates spoke about the progress that has been made in development and in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and polio, as well as the challenges that lie ahead. Participants also exchanged views on the repercussions of the cuts to the US development budget and on Germany’s role in international development cooperation.
On July 15, 2024, the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen welcomed the Governor of the State of New Jersey Phil Murphy to an "MSC in Berlin" background discussion.
Together with a high-ranking group of representatives from the Berlin foreign and security policy community, Murphy spoke about the prospects for transatlantic cooperation, particularly in the context of the upcoming US presidential elections.
On September 10, 2024, the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen welcomed the Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to an "MSC in Berlin" background discussion.
Together with a high-ranking group of representatives from the Berlin foreign and security policy community, Jaishankar spoke about strategic convergences in a multipolar world order, and current developments in India.
On June 12, 2024, the Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger welcomed the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna to an "MSC in Berlin" background discussion.
Together with a high-ranking group of representatives from the Berlin foreign and security policy community, Stefanishyna spoke about current developments in Ukraine, opportunities for Western support, and prospects for Ukraine's reconstruction.
On May 7, 2024, the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen welcomed Bill Gates to an "MSC in Berlin" discussion.
Together with a high-ranking group of representatives from the Berlin foreign and security policy community, Gates discussed the importance of Germany's international engagement and the successes that have been achieved in development cooperation over the past two decades in a confidential setting.
On May 24, 2023, we held a discussion with Cindy McCain, the new Executive Director of the World Food Programme, as part of the event series MSC in Berlin. The exchange was moderated by Wolfgang Ischinger, President of the Foundation Council of the Munich Security Conference Foundation.
Together with a small group of representatives from the Berlin foreign, development, and security policy community, Cindy McCain spoke about the precarious state of food security in many parts of the world. The group discussed the impacts of climate change, the connection between food insecurity and conflict, as well as the need for continued funding for both short-term emergency relief and long-term resilience building.
On April 24, 2023, the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen welcomed the Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to an "MSC in Berlin" background discussion.
Together with a small group of representatives from the Berlin foreign and security policy community, Tsikhanouskaya spoke about the current situation in Belarus and the impact of the Russian war of aggression. Among other things, the participants also discussed how the EU and Germany can strengthen and support the Belarusian opposition.
On December 1, 2022, the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen welcomed the Ambassador of the United States to Germany Dr Amy Gutmann to an "MSC in Berlin" background discussion.
Together with a small group of representatives from Berlin's foreign and security policy community, Gutmann discussed the challenges and priorities for the transatlantic partners.
On October 18, 2022, the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen welcomed the Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme David Beasley to an "MSC in Berlin" background discussion.
Together with a small group of representatives from the Berlin foreign and security policy community, Beasley spoke about the global food crisis, its effects and the associated options for action, especially for Germany.
On September 13, 2022, MSC Chairman Christoph Heusgen welcomed former Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin for a discussion as part of the event series MSC in Berlin.
Together with a small group of representatives from the Berlin foreign and security policy community, Klimkin exchanged views on the Russian war in Ukraine and discussed how the Western partners can further support Ukraine in the short and long term. The participants also spoke about Ukraine’s post-war future and its path towards EU membership as well as about possible developments in Russia.
On June 21, 2022, the Munich Security Conference welcomed the Swedish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Rydberg for a discussion as part of the event series MSC in Berlin.
Robert Rydberg, MSC Chairman Christoph Heusgen and a small group of senior representatives from the German Bundestag and government exchanged views on Sweden's NATO membership application, the European security order and the war against Ukraine.
On March 9, 2022, the Munich Security Conference, together with the Atlantik-Brücke, welcomed to Berlin a high-level government delegation from Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly. Newly appointed MSC Chairman Christoph Heusgen and Atlantik-Brücke Chairman Sigmar Gabriel hosted the Canadian delegation at the Allianz Forum for a "Berlin Keynote", where Prime Minister Trudeau gave a speech and engaged in a discussion with an expert audience.
On January 19, 2022, the Munich Security Conference welcomed the new Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre for an MSC in Berlin breakfast discussion.
Together with a small group of foreign policy experts, Prime Minister Støre and MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger discussed various current geopolitical challenges, such as NATO-Russia relations and energy security. Furthermore, they discussed the protection of civilians in armed conflict, a topic Norway aims to put on the agenda during its presidency of the UN Security Council.
On November 19, 2021, the Munich Security Conference welcomed the former US Secretary of Defense General Mattis for a discussion as part of the event series MSC in Berlin.
Together with a small group of senior representatives from the Berlin foreign policy community, General Mattis and Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the MSC, exchanged views on the strategic challenges for NATO, the international role of Germany, and the foreign and security policy tasks for the future German government.
On October 21, 2021, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) welcomed Bill Gates, co-chair and trustee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to an MSC in Berlin breakfast discussion.
In light of Germany’s upcoming G7 presidency in 2022 and the negotiations on a new federal government, Bill Gates together with Health Minister Jens Spahn and other experts and decision-makers discussed views on Germany’s role in the Covid-19 response, the future foreign, development and global health policy of the incoming federal government as well as on initiatives for the German G7 presidency. In this context, they also addressed the lessons learned from the Covid-19 response and which mechanisms would need to be strengthened to overcome Covid-19 and to be better prepared for future pandemics.
On September 1, 2021, MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger welcomed the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to an MSC in Berlin background discussion.
On the occasion of the inauguration of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin, Dr Tedros and a small group of decision-makers and experts exchanged views on the current state and challenges in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic globally. Participants also discussed which lessons the international community should draw in order to increase global pandemic preparedness in the future.
On January 14, 2020, MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger welcomed the new Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Berlin, Mohammed bin Jaham Al-Kuwari, to an MSC in Berlin background discussion.
During the event, the Qatari Ambassador and a small group of high-ranking representatives from the MSC network exchanged views on the current situation in the Middle East.
On November 26, 2019, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) welcomed the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, Ine Eriksen Søreide, to an MSC in Berlin background discussion in its Berlin office.
Several days ahead of the NATO Leaders Meeting in London, the Norwegian minister and a small group of high-ranking representatives from the MSC network exchanged views on current challenges for the transatlantic alliance.
On June 25, 2019, the Munich Security Conference welcomed the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in its Berlin office for an MSC in Berlin background discussion.
During the event, the Saudi Ambassador and a small group of senior representatives from the Berlin foreign policy community exchanged views on the state of, and perspectives for, bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and Germany as well as current foreign policy challenges in the Middle East.
On November 27, 2018, the Munich Security Conference welcomed Armen Sarkissian, President of the Republic of Armenia, to a background discussion as part of the MSC in Berlin event series.
Together with representatives of the Berlin foreign policy community, President Sarkissian and MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger talked about global security challenges and political developments in Armenia and the wider region.
On October 16, 2018, the Munich Security Conference welcomed Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for a breakfast discussion as part of the event series MSC in Berlin.
Bill Gates, MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger and a small group of senior representatives from the Berlin political community exchanged views on the current state of, and future perspectives for, international cooperation on global health security.
On October 10, 2018, the Munich Security Conference welcomed "The Economist" Editor-in-Chief Zanny Minton Beddoes for a luncheon as part of the event series MSC in Berlin.
Minton Beddoes exchanged her views with a small group of senior representatives from the Berlin foreign policy community on current political and economic challenges to the rules-based international order.
On June 29, 2018, the Munich Security Conference welcomed U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell in its Berlin office for an MSC in Berlin background discussion.
The new U.S. Ambassador to Germany and a small group of Members of the German Bundestag exchanged views on the current state of, and future perspectives for, transatlantic relations.
On June 12, 2018, the MSC hosted a luncheon with Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, former US Secretary of State, as part of the event series MSC in Berlin.
During the lunch event, Dr. Kissinger and a small group of senior representatives from the Berlin foreign policy community exchanged views on the state of transatlantic relations and the various current challenges to the rules-based international order.
On April 19, 2018, the MSC hosted Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev in its Berlin office for an informal discussion round as part of the event series MSC in Berlin.
Wolfgang Ischinger, MSC Chairman, welcomed the new Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, as a speaker in its MSC in Berlin event series, which was launched a few months ago. In a confidential background discussion, Ambassador Nechayev elaborated on the current state and future perspectives of German-Russian relations together with a group of selected members of parliament, journalists, as well as think tank and business representatives.
On 19 December, the Munich Security Conference inaugurated its new MSC in Berlin event series, which featured a background discussion with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel.
In the new premises of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Berlin, MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger welcomed Sigmar Gabriel, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the inauguration of the new MSC in Berlin informal discussion series.
Together with guests from the German Bundestag, journalists, members of the think tank community and selected international guests, including former Swedish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and former UN Deputy Secretary-General Lord Mark Malloch-Brown, Gabriel discussed how Europe can develop more strategic creative power.