Category: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Mr Stoltenberg will deliver a speech and he will participate in a Q&A session with the parliamentarians.

The Secretary General will engage with the media following the event.  For further details, please contact the Nordic Council.

Photographs of the event, as well as a transcript of the Secretary General’s speech, will be available on the NATO website after the event.

For more information:

For further information on the event, including the agenda, please access the web page of the Nordic Council.

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NATO Days are held to raise awareness and understanding of NATO among public audiences in partner countries, including institutions, international partners, Allied embassies, civil society, academia, media and youth. During the event, lectures, round tables and conferences focused on the current strategic context and on boosting resilience in Moldova, particularly through greater energy security in light of growing international hybrid challenges. An information session on NATO’s Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme concluded the conference, shifting the focus of conversations from policy towards practical scientific cooperation and knowledge exchange activities.

The SPS presentations to an audience of government officials, civil society and members of the Moldovan academic community outlined Moldova’s record of cooperation in the framework of the SPS Programme, comprising more than 55 activities since 1995. Representatives of the Moldovan Academy of Sciences and of the SPS Programme outlined major achievements of these nearly three decades of cooperation, which include the establishment of a Cyber Incident Response Capability for the Moldovan Armed Forces, the deployment of a mobile laboratory for the detection of biological agents, and the adoption of Moldova’s first National Action Plan for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Recently, NATO’s scientific cooperation with Moldova has increasingly focused on resilience and the application of technology towards securing critical infrastructure. This was highlighted in a presentation by Dr Veaceslav Sprincean of Moldova State University, who is about to start an SPS project researching the use of unmanned systems and advanced detection systems for critical infrastructure protection, together with scientists from Italy, Latvia and Slovakia.

NATO’s SPS Programme connects academics, experts and officials in Moldova with their counterparts in NATO member and partner countries, and supports their collaborative work on innovative scientific projects. SPS activities expand and create international scientific networks that address shared security challenges and exchange knowledge on security-related topics. To stay up-to-date with the latest opportunities offered by the SPS Programme, subscribe to the SPS newsletter.

The delegation of senior military officials was welcomed by Commander AIRCOM, General James B. Hecker. “Besides our leading role in coordinating the Allies’ Space activities and maintaining Space awareness for the Alliance, we also enhance our traditional air capabilities in support of multi-domain operations,” said General Hecker. He proceeded to illustrate AIRCOM’s plans for strengthening the Deterrence and Defence of the Euro Atlantic Area (DDA). “With our collective AIRCOM effort we ensure the security and strength of the Alliance – working on important subjects like counter anti-access and area denial, continuing to lead NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence, trailblazing Agile Combat Employment and enhancing cross-border operational procedures of our air forces,” he stated.

Admiral Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, also highlighted AIRCOM’s critical expertise in deploying Allied air forces along the eastern flank, orchestrating air defence capabilities and strengthening command and control of Allied integrated air assets. 

Reflecting on Air and Space Power as a force multiplier and catalyst for NATO multi-domain operations, the Chair discussed ‘ubiquity’ as the unique capability offered by Air Power to ensure “we stay one step ahead of our adversaries, from seabed to space”.

Sessions throughout the day offered the NATO HQ military representatives a deep-dive into how AIRCOM implements the Alliance’s subordinate strategic plans in the Air and Space domains and centered on a number of key topics, included Integrated Air and Missiles Defence (IAMD) in correlation to industrial capacity; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and integrated processes among nations. “This challenge goes beyond the simple concept of air and missile defence we were accustomed to”, said Admiral Bauer reflecting on the importance of Air and Space Power as a critical element of the Alliance’s overall deterrence and defence, now and going forward. “In this new era of collective defence – marked by an increasingly complex and multifaceted global security landscape – the importance of Air and Space Power as a cornerstone of NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities will continue to grow”, he stressed, adding that this is instrumental to the Alliance’s readiness and ability to defend every inch of our territory and uphold our shared values of freedom and democracy.

Noting that NATO and Cabo Verde “share the same values of freedom, democracy, and human rights,” Mr Stoltenberg said that NATO is stepping up cooperation with partners “to defend our values and the rules-based international order”. He underlined that NATO already has partners in North Africa and is strengthening cooperation with the African Union to address common challenges, including terrorism, climate change, and small arms proliferation.

The Secretary General welcomed Cabo Verde’s clear stance on Ukraine, including through votes at the UN General Assembly. He said that Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine, instability in the Middle East and the ongoing threat of terrorism “remind us that our security is not regional, it is global” and that “what happens in Europe matters for Africa, and what happens in Africa, matters for Europe”.

In 2006 Cabo Verde hosted the NATO exercise Steadfast Jaguar in Flamingo Bay on the island of Sao Vicente. This major exercise involving more than 7,000 troops tested the ability of NATO’s rapid response force to carry out missions anywhere at any time.

There will be no media opportunity.

Photographs and video footage will be available on the NATO website after the event.

For more information:

Contact the NATO Press Office

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @NATO, @jensstoltenberg and @NATOPress

“Moscow continues to apply pressure on Moldova”, the NATO Secretary General said. “Including energy blackmail and disinformation with the aim of destabilising your society and undermining your democracy.”

At the Vilnius Summit Allies had agreed on continuing to step up NATO’s longstanding practical and political cooperation with Moldova. “This will also help you on the path towards EU membership”, Mr. Stoltenberg said. He thanked Moldova for contributing to the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. “Stability in the Western Balkans matters for all of us.” 

Mr Stoltenberg stressed that while some investors “have the misguided idea that the defence industry is somehow ‘unethical’” – there is nothing unethical about defending Allies or helping Ukrainian soldiers to defend their country. “Indeed, without industry, there is no defence, no deterrence and no security,” he said. 

NATO’s relationship with industry has become more important than ever since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. Many Allies have significantly depleted their stocks in order to support Ukraine, which will continue to need large quantities of high-quality capabilities to defend itself. The Secretary General said: “Now we need to ramp up production to meet Ukraine’s needs, but also to strengthen our own deterrence and defence”.

Mr Stoltenberg underlined that Allies have implemented the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the Cold War and increased defence spending. At the Vilnius Summit, Allies stepped up even more, including with a new Defence Production Action Plan to aggregate demand, boost capacity, strengthen engagement with industry and increase interoperability.

The Secretary General also stressed the importance of cooperating with the private sector on innovation, saying “NATO needs industry as we navigate a world shaped by disruptive new technologies. Technologies like artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, biotech and quantum are changing the character of conflict as much as the Industrial Revolution.” This means that “we must constantly sharpen our technological edge by developing and adopting new technologies; cooperating with the private sector; shaping global standards; and embedding principles of responsible use that our democratic values enshrine.”

This year marks the first time a NATO invitee nation has hosted the NATO-Industry Forum. The Secretary General said that this demonstrates how close Sweden already is to the Alliance, adding that he looks forward to welcoming Sweden as a full-fledged NATO Ally soon. 

There will be no media opportunity.
Photographs will be available on the NATO website after the event.

For more information:

Contact the NATO Press Office

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) (@NATO, @jensstoltenberg and @NATOPress)

Media advisory

08:30 (CEST)      Short statements by the Secretary General and the Prime Minister (Agora podium – visual media only)

Media coverage

Media representatives who have annual accreditation to NATO for 2023 can cover the statements in person, on first come-first serve basis. Media wishing to do so are requested to inform NATOMediaOperations@hq.nato.int by midday on 25 October. Media representatives are requested to report in front of the Press shop (ground floor) at 08:00 (CEST).

The event will be streamed live on the NATO website and X @NATOPress.

A transcript of the Secretary General’s remarks, as well as pictures taken by a NATO photographer, will be available on the NATO website.

The video will be available for free download from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.

For more information:

Contact the NATO Press Office

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) (@NATO, @jensstoltenberg and @NATOPress)

GENERAL

A meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs will take place on 28-29 November 2023 at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. The meeting will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.

Journalists with annual NATO accreditation do not need to apply for separate ad-hoc accreditation for this event. All other journalists who plan to attend in person need to seek ad-hoc accreditation by Sunday 12 November at 23:59 (CEST).

The Secretary General will preview the Ministerial meeting with a press conference in the days before the event. Ministerial accreditation, as well as annual accreditation, will give access to that press conference.

The Secretary General will brief the media on both days of the Ministerial meeting.

PROGRAMME

A detailed media programme of the Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers will be available on the NATO website closer to the event.

For information about individual Ministers’ media programmes, please contact the national delegations. A list of delegation press officers is available from the NATO Press Office (contact here).

MEDIA ACCESS

Media representatives who wish to cover the Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers need to seek accreditation, except if they have annual accreditation at NATO.

Accredited media representatives can work in the press area of NATO Headquarters on 27, 28 and 29 November and access all public areas. The opening hours of the press area will be communicated in the media programme. Accredited journalists can attend Ministers’ doorsteps and the press conferences of the NATO Secretary General.

National briefings will also take place at NATO Headquarters. Those may be by invitation only. Please contact national delegations at NATO for details about their plans.

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

Media representatives who have annual accreditation to NATO for 2023 do not need to apply for separate accreditation for this event.

All other media representatives wishing to cover the meeting need to apply for accreditation. They need to register via NATO’s media accreditation platform: https://my.hq.nato.int. Please find instructions on how to log in or create a new profile in Annex 1.

The deadline to register and apply for media accreditation is Sunday 12 November at 23:59 (CEST).

Please apply as early as possible to allow for sufficient time for processing accreditation requests.

NATO will confirm accreditation explicitly by email. Please bring a printout of the confirmation email when collecting your badge.

Media passes must be collected in person upon presentation of an ID card or passport at the Main Entrance, NATO Headquarters, Boulevard Leopold III 1110 Brussels. You must bring the same ID document that you used to apply for accreditation online.

Passes must be visible at all times. Please arrive early to clear security checks. Security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects.

MEDIA ACCESS

Accredited media representatives can work in the press area of NATO Headquarters on the day of the pre-ministerial press conference and the days of the Ministerial meeting, and access all public areas. The opening hours of the press area will be communicated in the media programme. Accredited journalists can attend Ministers’ doorsteps and the press conferences of the NATO Secretary General.

These events will also be streamed live on the NATO website.

National briefings will also take place at NATO Headquarters. Those may be by invitation only. Please contact national delegations at NATO for details about their plans.

POOLS

A few elements of the Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers will be accessible only to a pool of visual journalists. Details on pooled events and distribution of pool cards will be available in the media programme, a few days before the event.

If you accept a NATO pool position, you must share immediately all information and material collected while in the pool with any accredited media that request it, at no charge and with no restriction on the use of the material for news purposes.

Media organisations that want pooled images should first contact the wire service / photo agency of which they are a client. Media representatives and news organisations must identify that it is pooled material every time it is used. Pooled material can only be used for legitimate news purposes and cannot be sold.

BROADCAST

NATO will provide broadcast-quality video in real time on EBU World feed or to EBU News Exchange.

NATO photographers and videographers will provide video clips and photos of all public events during the ministerial meeting. Photos can be downloaded from the NATO website. The video files will be available for free download from the NATO Multimedia Portal.

The Secretary General’s press conferences will be streamed live on the NATO website.

MEDIA FACILITIES

A press working area will be set up on the first floor of the Public Square at NATO HQ. Working spaces cannot be booked in advance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Television and radio editing spaces will be available upon request by email to the NATO TV & Radio Unit (see contact details below).

PARKING

Media representatives can park in the Visitors’ car park of the NATO HQ. Uplink vans can park in a special section of the car park upon request to the NATO TV & Radio Unit.

For general queries: Contact the NATO Press Office

Accreditation
NatoAccreditations[at]hq.nato.int

TV & Radio arrangements on site and via satellite
broadcastoperations@HQ.NATO.INT

NATO Video on demand
content[at]natomultimedia.tv