OSCE conference in Zug: Switzerland emphasises prevention, dialogue and cooperation to counter escalation after cyber incidents

As part of its Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) chairpersonship this year, on 29 September 2026 Switzerland brought together high-level representatives from the fields of politics, diplomacy and cybersecurity in order to discuss ways of preventing escalation following cyber incidents. Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the OSCE chairman-in-office and head of the FDFA, emphasised the role of dialogue; Federal Councillor Martin Pfister, head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), underlined the importance of preventive measures. The two-day conference in Zug, entitled ‘De-escalation in cyberspace: mediation and preventive diplomacy’, is the final thematic conference ahead of the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting on 3 and 4 December 2026 in Lugano.