2025 was marked by escalating geopolitical tensions, broader civil unrest and evolving security threats that continue to challenge organisations worldwide, says a new report.
According to the “Crisis Management Annual Review 2026” from Willis, a WTW business, released yesterday, intensifying geopolitical competition, economic disparities and renewed interstate conflicts led to an increasingly volatile risk environment last year. While a few conflicts have eased, tensions elsewhere have ignited rapidly, prompting businesses and insurers to recalibrate their approach to crisis preparedness and resilience.
APAC
In the Asia Pacific region, the report highlighted significant civil unrest driven by economic strain, youth-led movements and governance concerns. These include tensions seen in India and Pakistan, Thailand and Cambodia, and Pakistan and Afghanistan, which disrupted aviation, trade and regional security. Internal conflicts also continued in countries such as Myanmar, while terrorism remained a persistent threat in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Across the globe, main risk categories, namely kidnap and extortion, have been evolving, with incidents increasing in both traditional high-risk countries and in states previously considered lower risk. The report also points to a surge in active assailant events and heightened notifications related to threats and civil unrest. These developments, the report says, signal that organisations must continually adapt their risk intelligence and response strategies to safeguard personnel and assets effectively.
The southward shift in conflict intensity was also observed, with notable rises in politically motivated violence across multiple regions, from Europe’s ongoing crises to Latin America’s persistent extortion risks.
In light of these trends, the review urges businesses to strengthen their crisis management frameworks by refining situational intelligence, improving travel-risk programmes and building resilience strategies that can respond rapidly to dynamic global conditions.
2026
Looking ahead to 2026, the review said that organisations able to anticipate political, economic and security shifts — and integrate them into proactive planning — will be better positioned to manage disruption. As geopolitical fragmentation and protest activity continue to feature strongly on the global risk agenda, firms must prioritise more agile and robust crisis readiness.