As armed conflict and geopolitical rivalries intensify worldwide, security priorities are being reshaped. Governments are increasingly prioritizing military defense and rearmament. This shift comes at the expense of people-centered approaches to security and the long-term investments needed for sustainable peace.
The trend has accelerated over the past year. The US administration has drastically reduced funding for foreign aid, despite it accounting for less than 1% of the federal budget.1 In Switzerland, the Swiss Security Policy Strategy, launched by the State Secretariat for Security Policy (SEPOS) in December 2025, reflects a similar evolution, placing a strong emphasis on military preparedness and national defense. As resources are redirected towards military spending, financial and human resources, and political support for peacebuilding, humanitarian aid, and sustainable development decline. This places a significant burden across our sectors, forcing many to reduce the scope of their activities, lay off staff, or even close.
This timely edition is published four months after KOFF launched its consultation process on the Swiss Security Policy Strategy, which led to the release of its joint statement. Through the contributions gathered in this issue of à propos, KOFF members reiterate that security must extend beyond military responses. In addition to the pressure they face to continue their activities, they illustrate how the increasing dominance of military approaches and their narratives to justify them can also fuel resentment and conflict. Lasting peace and security require investing in violence prevention by addressing its root causes and strengthening inclusive, people-centered approaches.
1 Reuters (2026). A year after USAID shutdown, Americans still back foreign development aid, poll shows, 30 June 2026.