NATO Allies and Indo-Pacific Partners discuss cybersecurity cooperation

Source: NATO

Cyber is an integral part of modern warfare and cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure, government institutions, international organisations and electoral processes are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. On Wednesday (4 September), senior cyber policy experts from NATO Allies and Asia-Pacific partners gathered at the Cyber Champions Summit in Sydney, Australia, to discuss current cybersecurity challenges and explore new avenues for cooperation.

Addressing the Summit, James Appathurai, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber, raised the alarm on the deterioration of security in cyberspace: “The threat environment is getting worse and threat actors have a higher risk appetite,” he said, expressing concerns that nations may “get used to ever higher levels of threats and attacks” as they increase their resilience. “We should not get used to it” he said, calling for cooperation to also focus on increasing our ability to deter cyber threats and actors.

The Cyber Champions Summit is an annual NATO-supported event that provides a platform for information and experience-sharing. It fosters public-private sector cooperation in domains such as the protection of critical infrastructure and helps to accelerate the development of innovative solutions, taking into account deep-tech advances in areas such as generative AI and quantum computing. 

The Summit was first held in Lithuania in 2023. In 2025, it will be held in Seoul, South Korea.

NATO Secretary General to visit Norway

Source: NATO

On 5 and 6 September 2024, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Jens Stoltenberg, will visit Norway.

Mr Stoltenberg will have an audience with His Majesty King Harald V of Norway, and will meet the Prime Minister, Mr Jonas Gahr Støre.

He will also participate in an event organized by the Norwegian Atlantic Committee (DNAK), held at the Oslo City Hall.

Media advisory

5 September 2024, 14:00 (CEST)    Participation by the NATO Secretary General at the DNAK event (in Norwegian)

6 September 2024, 10:00 (CEST)    Joint press conference by the NATO Secretary General with the Prime Minister of Norway

Media coverage

The Secretary General’s press conference with the Norwegian Prime Minister, will be streamed live on the NATO website, and broadcast live on EBU News Exchange.

A transcript of the Secretary General’s press conference, as well as photographs, will be available on the NATO website after the events.

For more information:
Contact the NATO Press Office
Follow us on X (@NATO@jensstoltenberg and @NATOPress).

Scientists explore weather impacts on satellite launches at Andøya Space Center in Norway

Source: NATO

Scientists at the Andøya Space Center in Northern Norway have been examining the challenges posed by unidentified weather patterns at high altitudes for satellite launches, re-entry procedures, and new hypersonic systems.

On 2 September 2024, a hypersonic sounding rocket was successfully launched from the Andøya Space Center as part of the project “Boundary Layer Transition 1B” (BOLT-1B). The objective of this mission is to experimentally investigate the hypersonic boundary layer transition mechanisms from laminar to turbulent flow on a special aerodynamic design of the rocket. (Copyright: Andøya Space)

The “Dynamics above the Epicentre of Climate Change (DECC)” project, supported by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, is led by research institutes in Germany, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

It aims to explore the direct operational impacts of these weather patterns, develop strategies for accurately predicting atmospheric hazards, identify measures to enhance the resilience of launches and infrastructure, and improve the resolution of high-altitude measurements in the Scandinavian north.

The successful launch of a hypersonic sounding rocket with Mach 7.2 (~ 8.800km/h) on Monday (2 September 2024) was a highlight of the gathering. 

Above the High North, the Polar Night Jetstream sees winds reaching speeds of up to 500 km/h. Along with gravity waves, intense turbulence, and severe wind shears, this can significantly influence the ability to control, manoeuvre, and navigate. 

As the frequency of satellite launches increases, so does the urgent need for a deeper understanding of atmospheric hazards at high latitude bands. Andøya Space Center, with its unique location, provides an ideal environment for exploring these largely uncharted phenomena.

The insights gained from these studies will help shape future strategies for satellite operations, space vehicle launches, and the development of resilient infrastructure in response to the evolving challenges posed by climate change. 

By funding scientific cooperation, the NATO SPS programme supports research and academic communities to address shared security challenges.

A career of military service and strategic advice – meet Colonel (Ret.) Richard Williams

Source: NATO

In the realm of defence and international security, few individuals possess the depth of experience and strategic insight that Colonel (Ret.) Richard Williams brings to the table. With a career spanning over five decades, Williams has served in a variety of roles, from military and NATO leadership positions to academic and consulting endeavours. Read on to learn more about his military path and his significant contributions at NATO in the fields of demining, demilitarisation of unexploded munitions and counter-terrorism.

A Military Path 

Born in 1947 in Wisconsin in the United States, Williams was destined to become part of the military. Named after his great uncle, a young Canadian soldier who was killed in the Battle of the Somme during the first World War, he grew up looking up to his closest family members – his father, mother and sister –all of whom served in the military.

Williams joined the Army as a second lieutenant at the age of 19 and became an armoured cavalry captain when he was 21. He deployed to Vietnam, where he was injured badly twice by a mine and rocket propelled grenade. This experience was intense and painful, but it taught him how to locate and neutralise minefields in order to secure these areas and keep others safe.

Over the next 30 years, Williams built a distinguished career in the US Army, including serving overseas in NATO Allies like France, where he was a Special Military Attaché at the US Embassy in Paris, and the United Kingdom, where he worked as tactical instructor at the Royal Armoured Corps Centre in Dorset. 

Later, he also pursued an academic career in international relations and security policy, including conducting research as a Senior National Security Fellow at Harvard University.

Bringing his demining experience to NATO

In 1997, Williams joined NATO as a principal coordinator for the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme.

A major milestone in NATO history, the PfP programme was launched in 1994 to guide practical cooperation between NATO and non-NATO countries – a concrete example of the “hand of friendship” that NATO Allies had extended to their former adversaries on the other side of the Iron Curtain starting in 1990.  

“The reason I was interested in this is because as a professor in Germany, I had travelled to a lot of postulant countries, which were attempting to become members of NATO,” Williams explains.

Immediately after his start, Williams was sent to Albania to assess the country’s need of assistance with the safe destruction of unexploded ammunition, which was spread across the country as a consequence of the widespread civil unrest that had taken place. Albania was littered with more than 600,000 looted weapons, and experts estimated that more than 180 hectares of land – equivalent to 360 football pitches – had been contaminated with unexploded ordnance. 

“There was no map showing where those minefields were located, which were emplaced to protect Albanian weapons and munitions storage sites. It was an extraordinarily dangerous work. And since I had some experience in minefields myself, I know the danger that is involved.“ 

Williams came back to Brussels and helped convince the then 16 Allies to set up a trust fund to support the demining of the minefields. As a result, British soldiers trained Albanian military officers to clear minefields and dispose of unexploded ammunition, including chemical weapons. The project ended five years later and set a template for similar actions in other countries in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. 

“Doing this work is important because it saves many lives, says Williams.

Learn more about NATO’s work on small arms and light weapons (SALW) and mine action (MA).

Countering terrorism after the 9/11 attacks

Williams briefs Defence Investment Division’s “Counter-Terrorism Technology” initiatives, 2004

Williams was working at NATO Headquarters on 11 September 2001. He remembers acutely the 9/11 attacks and their impact on NATO: 

“That was a huge wake-up call – that business as usual wasn’t going to continue, that terrorism that exists in Afghanistan and other parts of the world was going to have to be dealt with.” 

Although there had been deadly terrorist attacks on Allied territory in the 1980s and 1990s, the unprecedented scale of the 9/11 attacks shook NATO to its core. For Williams, “9/11 changed everything, and proved that the existence of NATO needed to continue, because we were going to face challenges in the future that could not be predicted.”

In 2004, Williams became the Deputy Director of the Defence Investment Division at NATO. In this role, he oversaw NATO’s efforts to help Allies develop high-priority counter-terrorism technology, missile defence, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Williams was not surprised by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. His distrust for Russia started to build already in 2000, after the sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk, one of Russia’s most serious naval disasters. He recalls the attempt by NATO to assist the crew’s escape and how it was met by Russia’s unwillingness to share any information. Instead of cooperating and accepting NATO’s assistance, Russia attempted to obtain intelligence sources from NATO. 

“All of the while, [the Russians] were in fact much more dangerous, much more focused on obtaining information from us than doing otherwise,” he says.

Talking about the current situation in Ukraine, Williams explains that “the situation in Ukraine was very much destined to take place. They don’t consider Ukraine as a country. They consider Ukraine as a part of Russia.”

Life after NATO

Since his retirement from NATO in 2012, Williams has continued his dedication to enhancing international security through academia and consultancy. As a consultant, he provides strategic and operational military guidance for the planning, execution and analysis of NATO operations, training and exercises. He also intervenes frequently as a news media commentator, in the defence and international arenas.

Colonel (Ret.) Williams’ message for the Alliance’s 75th anniversary

“NATO is the only organisation that offers hope that peace can become a real possibility. Not just regionally, but more far reaching than that. This Alliance is strong. It consists of countries that have worked together for decades, have practised and fought together so they can prevail when employed. 

My number one message for NATO is: invite Ukraine to join NATO as soon as the war is over. Set victory of Ukraine as the top priority of the Alliance. The Alliance cannot survive the loss of Ukraine.”

This article is part of the 75th anniversary #WeAreNATO series.

These interviews feature former NATO staff members who share their personal stories and first-hand experiences related to the Alliance’s key moments and historic turning points, such as the Cold War and 1989, the first out-of-area missions, partnerships, 9/11 and more.

19 migrant smugglers detained in Romania

Source: Europol

Among those detained are the five Romanian leaders of the group, who are believed to have been responsible for the logistics and management of the criminal activities. The other suspects were criminal associates in charge of recruiting drivers or accommodating migrants in so-called safe houses, two of which were found in Italy. The criminal group is suspected of having been…

NATO Deputy Secretary General steps down

Source: NATO

On Tuesday, 3 September 2024, Mircea Geoană notified the Secretary General that he will step down as NATO Deputy Secretary General (DSG) on 10 September.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg accepted the resignation, thanking Mr Geoană for his service. 
 
“Mircea has served NATO for nearly five years. His focus on technology and emerging security challenges has been critical to driving innovation in the Alliance. He is a true transatlanticist and his work with partners has greatly benefitted NATO. I wish him all the best for the future,” said Mr Stoltenberg.
 
Mr Geoană is the first Romanian to fill this position and the first Deputy Secretary General from a country that joined the Alliance after the end of the Cold War. 
 
Mr Boris Ruge, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy (PASP), will serve as Acting Deputy Secretary General until a successor is appointed.

Find Eurojust in the European Pavilion at the World Port Days in Rotterdam

Source: Eurojust

From 6-8 September 2024, you can find Eurojust at the 47th annual World Port Days event in Rotterdam.

Ports are key gateways that connect Europe with the rest of the world. Each year, more than 90 million containers enter the 3 main EU ports – Antwerp, Hamburg and Rotterdam. They are essential hubs for economic growth and prosperity, and create many labour opportunities.

At World Port Days event, thousands of visitors are invited to discover the port of Rotterdam. The programme includes special ships, exciting excursions, spectacles on the water and the European Pavilion: the primary destination for anyone interested in learning about the various benefits and initiatives of the European Union in the Netherlands.

The European Pavilion, created by the European Commission Representation in the Netherlands and Kansen voor West, will bring together agencies and projects that are based in the Netherlands and financed through the EU budget. This includes the three EU Agencies headquartered in the Netherlands: Eurojust, Europol and the European Medicines Agency.

Security & Ports

In recent years, criminals have infiltrated Europe’s ports to organise the passage of illegal goods into the EU. This includes drugs trafficking, one of the most serious security threats faced by Europe today. Recent statistics show that nearly 70% of drugs seizures made by customs takes place in Europe’s ports.

With 20 years of experience, Eurojust knows what it takes to bring international drug smugglers to justice. We support more cross-border drug trafficking cases every year: 2500 in 2023 alone, which resulted in €25.6 billion worth of drugs seized. Eurojust is also a member of the European Ports Alliance, which aims to improve security in all EU ports.

Ask A Prosecutor

Interesting in learning more about how Eurojust works with prosecutors from across the EU to combat crime and get justice done? On Friday morning, our National Member from the Netherlands, Mr. Alexander van Dam, will be at our stand in the European Pavilion to answer all of your questions.

Additional information and the full programme of activities can be found here: https://wereldhavendagen.nl/

Mr Philip Schotland starts as new Swiss Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

Upon taking up his new role, Mr Schotland stated: ‘It’s a great honour to be appointed Liaison Prosecutor and thus be able to contribute the experience I have already built up in the Swiss bureau at Eurojust. This also shows the importance my national authorities attach to maintaining continuity in combating cross-border crime.

The new Liaison Prosecutor joined the Swiss Federal Office of Justice in June 2022, starting as deputy at Eurojust a month later that same year. Previously, he worked as a public prosecutor in the canton of Basel-City and as an assistant as of 2015. In this capacity, he specialised in serious crimes and investigations into organised crime groups, drawing on his experience in cross-border judicial cooperation.

Mr Schotland graduated as a Master of Law from Basel University in 2012 and did his bar exam in 2014. The Netherlands is familiar territory to the new Liaison Prosecutor, as he completed an internship at the Swiss embassy in The Hague after his graduation in 2012. Following this experience, Mr Schotland was a trainee at a private law company and at the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Basel, before becoming an assistant there.

The new Liaison Prosecutor speaks German, French and English. He is also attached to the office of the Swiss Armed Forces Attorney General, in the rank of major.

Switzerland is one of the twelve countries* outside the European Union that have a Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust, based on a Cooperation Agreement. Liaison Prosecutors represent their national judicial authorities and can open requests for cross-border cooperation with EU Member States and vice versa.

*The following other third countries have Liaison Prosecutors at Eurojust: Albania, Georgia, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States

NATO backs autonomous drone competition in London

Source: NATO

On 29 and 30 August at City St George’s, University of London, four teams from universities in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, and Austria took part in the SAPIENCE drone competition, part of a project supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme.

The teams prepared for months for this challenge, in which they would adapt technology to address a crisis situation. Using a mock-up of a building hit by disaster, they would have to map the disaster site, identify individuals in need of help, and deliver aid. 

The teams used commercially available drones and sensors, and used artificial intelligence that they developed for guidance, navigation, and control. They were faced with increasingly complex tasks, such as navigating without GPS, avoiding obstacles, and mapping and landing safely in poorly-lit areas.

At the closing ceremony, Claudio Palestini, the Head of the NATO SPS Programme underlined how “this activity perfectly captures the spirit of the SPS Programme, bringing together teams of young researchers from NATO and Partner countries to advance technological solutions to tackle modern challenges, such as autonomy, artificial intelligence, human-machine teaming, and more.”

The SAPIENCE project shows how autonomous drones that cooperate with each other may be used in crisis management scenarios. The lessons learned in London will feed into the two other competitions planned as part of the project, which will take place in 2025 in the United States and in 2026 in the Netherlands. 

The SAPIENCE project is valuable for NATO as it shows how technical challenges in autonomy and the navigation of drones can be overcome. Through activities like SAPIENCE, the NATO SPS Programme works with research and academic communities as well as governments to address shared security challenges.

Largest ever synthetic opioid laboratory in Poland dismantled

Source: Europol

Results of the action day include:arrest of 7 members of the criminal network;dismantling of the largest laboratory of synthetic opioids ever found in Poland, used to produce methadone in crystalline form;dismantling of 8 multi-laboratories in Poland and Ukraine, used for the production of synthetic cathinones (mephedrone, Alpha-PVP) and methadone;seizure of 195 kilograms of methadone in crystalline form;seizure of 153 kilograms…