Category: Intelligence

Through the NISRF, Allies cooperate closely to collect, analyse and share intelligence data across all domains, including space. This helps to enhance reporting and support NATO missions and operations. The NISRF is an important part of the larger NATO intelligence network across NATO Headquarters, the NATO Command Structure, the NATO Force Structure, and multinational and national networks. 

Enhancing the NISRF’s capabilities will strengthen NATO’s overall ISR capabilities and early warning and control. These efforts include the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme, the Digital Ocean initiative, the multinational initiatives for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), and Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space (APSS).

Mr Stoltenberg welcomed the appointment: “The Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel regions are important to our Alliance. Javier Colomina has extensive experience in dealing with NATO partners. His appointment will further strengthen NATO’s important work in the South.”
 
As the Special Representative for the southern neighbourhood, Mr Colomina will serve as NATO’s focal point for the region. He will be responsible for coordinating and enhancing the visibility of NATO’s efforts in the south and will strengthen engagement with partners.
 
At the Washington Summit, Allies agreed on an action plan that will increase NATO’s engagement in the Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel regions. The appointment of the Special Representative is part of this plan.

The updated Policy Guidelines focus NATO’s counter-terrorism work on three key areas: improving awareness of the terrorist threat; ensuring adequate capabilities and preparedness; and enhancing engagement and cooperation with NATO’s partner countries and other international organisations. Heads of State and Government also reiterated and refined the main principles of the Alliance’s fight against terrorism: compliance with international law, support to Allies and non-duplication and complementarity. 

On the margins of the Washington Summit, the updated Policy Guidelines and their implications for NATO’s work to combat terrorism were outlined by the Secretary General’s Special Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism, Tom Goffus, in a session of NATO’s Public Forum, titled “Addressing the Evolving Threat of Terrorism” on 11 July 2024. “Our most important document after the Washington Treaty is the Strategic Concept,” he stated, while reflecting that terrorism is the most direct asymmetric threat to the security of citizens and to international peace and prosperity.  “We now have defence plans both for Russia and for terrorism… we have the most detailed plans ever for terrorism,” he shared. 

Click here to read the full Policy Guidelines on Counter-Terrorism.