The Foreign Service Journal, April 2019

34 APRIL 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL engagement with the private sector, academia and civil society. And lastly, the “comprehensive approach” features like-minded groups or states working together with international organiza- tions and entities. Each collaborates and coordinates to face challenges together—all while respecting each other’s roles and decision-making autonomy. In each of these cases, work- ing together in staff-to-staff discussions, table-top exercises and scenario-based discussions is vital to building trust and interop- erability between ministries, nations, civil society, international organizations and the private sector. By focusing on overall governance instead of looking at hybrid threats through a military lens, we gain a perspective more closely aligned with each nation’s own legal authorities and frameworks, yet one that does not necessarily exclude a role for military capabilities. Given the nature of these threats, the first to detect and respond are most likely to be civilian govern- ment or private entities. In turn, varying degrees of military capabilities may be required for support. This cooperation is vital because no government is in a position to pay for the same capabilities twice. In the event of a possibly escalating situation, close civil- military cooperation and interoperability is necessary to ensure an appropriate response, accompanied by all necessary and available instruments of national and international power and influence. For this reason, comprehensive and whole-of-society approaches are vital. Through strengthening public and private governance, and seeking deeper and broader cooperation among institutions, nations and civil society, we can turn global- ization and our greater interconnectedness from vulnerability into an advantage. n Governments and public and private institutions with weak governance tend to be more susceptible to hybrid threats.