General Secretariat of Defense and National Security – Wikipedia

The General Secretariat of Defense and National Security ( Schedsen ), formerly General Secretariat for National Defense ( Sgdn ), is an inter -ministerial body placed under the authority of the French Prime Minister. He is responsible for assisting the Prime Minister in the exercise of his responsibilities in matters of defense and national security. Since August 17, 2020 , the secretary general is the prefect Stéphane Bouillon.

Under the IN ^{It is} Republic, the SGDSN is an essential cog in the executive power ^{[ first ]} . In 2020, he had 972 agents, 600 of whom worked at the National Agency for Information Systems Systems (ANSSI), responsible for protecting the state from cyber attacks; The other agents take care of various missions, ranging from the prevention and management of crises (terrorist attacks, epidemics, etc.) to the protection of national defense secrecy ^{[ first ]} .

Five other government general secretaries exist: the general secretariat of the Government, the General Secretariat of the Sea, the General Secretariat of European Affairs, General Secretariat for Ecological Planning and the General Secretariat for Investment.

As early as 1906, a Higher Council of National Defense (CSDN) was created, a study organization which periodically brought together the Ministers of War, Foreign and Interior. The permanence of the need for coordination has already asserted itself and has never stopped since then.

Between 1921 and 1939, drawing lessons from the First World War, the government entrusted to a Higher Council for National Defense and its permanent general secretariat, the preparation of human, economic and administrative mobilization measures for war time.

After the Second World War, the Coordination of Defense was ensured by a single organization, the General Staff of National Defense, which then became permanent staff of the President of the Council.

In 1950 was resettled the division of roles between the permanent general secretariat of national defense and a pa, combined staff of the armed forces, both placed under the authority of the head of government.

Under the fifth republic, after a few years, 1962 again saw the dissociation of the two skills between a staff of the armies dependent on the Ministry of Defense and the SGDN, placed under the authority of the Prime Minister. At the same time, the evolution of the concept and the realities of defense and security guided the missions of the SGDN to a wider framework.

At January 13, 2010 , the General Secretariat for Defense is expanding its missions and becomes the General Secretariat of Defense and National Security by absorbing the General Secretariat of the Internal Security Council (SGCSI) created in 2002 ^{[ 2 ] , [ a ]} .

The SGDSN is responsible for government defense and security plans, including the Vigipirate plan ^{[ 3 ]} .

The SGDSN constitutes a service of the Prime Minister ^{[ 4 ]} . He ensures the Secretariat of the Defense and National Security Council (CDSN). In accordance with the guidelines of the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, he conducted, in conjunction with the ministerial departments concerned, preparatory work for meetings. He prepares decisions, notifies the decisions taken and follows the execution ^{[ 5 ]} .

The SGDSN assists the Prime Minister in the exercise of its responsibilities in matters of defense and national security. As such:

1. He leads and coordinates the inter -ministerial work relating to the national defense and security policy and the public policies that contribute to it;
2. In conjunction with the ministerial departments concerned, it follows the evolution of crises and international conflicts that can affect France’s interests in defense and national security and studies the provisions likely to be taken. He is associated with the preparation and the progress of negotiations or international meetings with implications for defense and national security and is kept informed of their results;
3. He proposes, diffuses and enforced and controlled the measures necessary for the protection of national defense secrecy. He prepares the interdepartmental regulation in defense and national security, ensures its dissemination and follows the application;
4. In support of the National Intelligence Coordinator, he contributes to the adaptation of the legal framework in which the action of the intelligence services is written and the planning of their means and ensures the organization of the inter -ministerial groups of analysis and synthesis in terms of intelligence;
5. He develops interdepartmental defense and national security planning, ensures its application and leads interministerial exercises to implement it. It coordinates the preparation and implementation of national defense and security measures incumbent up on the various ministerial departments and ensures the coordination of civil and military means provided in the event of a major crisis;
6. He ensures that the President of the Republic and the Government have the means of command and electronic communications necessary in matters of defense and national security and makes it ensuring the operation;
7. He proposed to the Prime Minister and implements government policy in terms of information systems security. To the end of the national competence service called “National Agency for Information Systems” to this end of the National Competence “;
8. He ensures the consistency of the actions undertaken in terms of scientific research policy and technological projects concerning defense and national security and contributes to the protection of strategic national interests in this field ^{[ 6 ]} .

In addition to the secretary general and the deputy secretary general, the SGDSN includes ^{[ b ]} :

• the Directorate of State Protection and Security;
• the Directorate of International, Strategic and Technological Affairs;
• The General Administration Service.

Three national competence services are attached to the SGDSN:

The interdepartmental control group is a service with national jurisdiction attached to the Prime Minister and, for its administrative and budgetary management, to the General Secretariat of Defense and National Security. The latter is notably responsible for the procurement of markets, budgetary and financial management and the recruitment of service agents ^{[ 8 ]} .

By delegation from the Prime Minister, the SGDSN ensures the supervision of the Institute of Advanced National Defense Studies (IHEDN); until its abolition of the National Institute of High Studies of Security and Justice ^{[ 9 ]} .

The secretaries general of national defense, then defense and national security, were successively:

In the Official Journal of the French Republic (Jorf), on legifrance:

• Appointment decrees: