The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a world-leading authority on global security, political risk and military conflict.
The IISS was founded in the UK in 1958 with a focus on nuclear deterrence and arms control. Today, it is also renowned for its annual Military Balance assessment of countries armed forces and for its high-powered security summits.
Summits and other events are attended by heads of state, foreign and defence ministers, high-level diplomats and officials attend IISS security summits for the opportunity to discuss policy in private as well as in public, assisting in greater international understanding and conflict avoidance. Since its launch in Singapore in 2002, the Shangri-La Dialogue has gained a reputation as the military Davos. The younger Manama Dialogue is becomingly similarly influential in the Middle East.