Category: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

“Since Finland became a NATO Ally eighteen months ago, the Alliance has become stronger and Finland has become safer. Finland has highly capable military forces and cutting edge capabilities, and you are investing more than 2% of GDP in defence,” said Mr Rutte, during a joint press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

The Secretary General welcomed Finland’s decision to host a NATO battlegroup and a new headquarters to lead NATO land operations in the region, which will strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence and defence along the Eastern Flank and the High North.

The Secretary General and President Stubb also discussed Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.

“NATO must and will do more to help Ukraine,” Mr Rutte said, adding that Ukraine could be facing its toughest winter since the full-scale Russian invasion began, and that Russia continues to carry out strikes against critical energy infrastructure.

Mr Rutte noted that Finland has delivered more than 2 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine.

“What Finland is doing helps save lives. And the more military support we give, the faster this war will end,” he said.

While at NATO Headquarters, President Stubb also met with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer.

Subject-matter expertise was provided by Mr Anthony Icayan, PoC and Civil-Military Interaction Subject-Matter Expert at NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and Ms Viviana De Annuntiis, Liaison and Knowledge Development Deputy Section Head at NATO Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP).

Mr Icayan remarked that the 2022 NATO Strategic Concept calls for the integration of the Human Security and Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agendas across all core tasks. The traditional approach to PoC was based on civilian harm mitigation. Nevertheless, Mr Icayan underlined that a new PoC mindset is needed in the face of new challenges such as hybrid warfare, the increasing use of human shields in conflicts and intentional civilian targeting. NATO PoC has legal, moral and political imperatives, but it also impacts mission success and legitimacy. NATO’s role entails increasing obligations to protect civilians from harm by both adversaries and NATO’s own actions. He stressed that this is achieved when applying a broader human security framework focusing on civilians’ perspectives, needs and facilitating access to essential services. This Military Conceptual framework is composed of four different elements:

1. Understanding the Human Environment (UHE) from a population’s perspective;
2. Mitigate Harm (MH) through minimizing harm from own actions and the actions of Perpetrators;
3. Facilitate Access to Basic Needs (FABN) for civilians and aid workers;
4. Contribute to a Safe and Secure Environment (C-SASE) for local governments and institutions.

Mr Icayan argued that the integration of WPS in PoC crosses all three elements of the PoC framework. First, mitigating harm entails the direct protection of vulnerable groups, especially women and children, seeking to maintain awareness of and eventually deter issues such as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and the recruitment of Child Soldiers. Further, conducting gender analysis with proper gender disaggregated data ensures a more holistic understanding of the human environment and helps tailor activities to the needs of vulnerable groups. This will identify the unique security concerns of Men, Women, Boys and Girls, while also help establish mobility patterns and economic activities. Second, facilitating access to basic needs requires enabling the activities of beneficiary populations and civil aid workers to ensure humanitarian aid distribution with a gender aware approach. Lastly, contributing to a safe and secure environment necessitates the inclusion of women in all efforts to prevent and resolve conflict and support in the training and development of local authorities’ and security forces ability to provide for the human security of all members of society. 

Ms De Annuntiis stated that contemporary military operations are conducted in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environments which underlines that men, women, boys and girls must remain at the centre of efforts for the PoC. This also underlines the importance of promoting collaboration among Allies, Partners, NGOs and other international organisations to share concerns and efforts for the PoC. Ms De Annuntiis observed that today’s conflicts are increasingly characterised by belligerency and large explosives used in key civilian areas. Identifying the groups who are considered the most vulnerable has an impact on targeting. Indeed, the direct damage of targeting urban areas is multi-layered. First, while men have the highest death rate in conflicts, children are disproportionally impacted as they fall victim to the worst injuries and require health services the most. Second, the urbanisation of attacks has an impact on key services which can lead to informal settlements that risk disproportionally exposing women and girls to cases of SGBV. Last, civilian life and population wellbeing is subject to overwhelming modifications. In fact, trauma and injuries can lead women and girls to take on additional caretaking roles and become marginalised in the peace-making processes.  

Ms De Annuntiis delved into the intersection of the gender perspective with PoC and hybrid threats. Indeed, civilians heavily rely on information to be aware of risks and consequently protect themselves. Information allows civilians to make active decisions which enhances their safety. The central role of civilians in the assessment of the human environment is strictly linked to information warfare, especially when coupled with conflict. Disinformation can create chaos and undermine civilians’ ability to make effective choices for their own protection. Belligerents have an operational interest in spreading misinformation and disinformation to make it more viable to target civilians. She stated that coupled analyses and efforts towards the PoC, gender perspective and StratCom are necessary to contrast such phenomenon. 

In conclusion, integrating gender and PoC is a comprehensive strategy that can intersect with resilience and civil preparedness. NATO’s role has to be temporary until local authorities and populations can manage their own security. However, PoC must encompass people, objects and services. Considering the gender perspective and principles of the WPS agenda can foster a more holistic approach to conflict as well as effective prevention and protection measures.

NATO and Armenia have a long-standing Partnership, for 30 years, since Armenia joined the Partnership for Peace in 1994. For nearly 20 years, Armenia has also been a key partner in NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping mission, helping to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo. During his visit LTG Adamczak underscored the importance of this contribution. “We welcome Armenia’s increased level of cooperation with NATO over the past two years. That includes additional troop contributions to our KFOR mission in Kosovo,” said Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak.

In his meeting with Lt. General Edvard Asryan, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, LTG Adamczak highlighted that NATO is ready to develop the Partnership with Armenia. “We are developing a new framework for our cooperation with a special focus on defence education, defence reform, interoperability, resilience and public diplomacy,” LTG Adamczak added. In his speech in the Military Academy in Yerevan he focused on NATO’s reinforcement of collective defence, while also outlining the way ahead for military cooperation between Armenia and NATO. “Your dedication as a NATO Partner to our operations, missions and activities shows that military cooperation between NATO and its Partners is mutually beneficial,” LTG Adamczak, said in his address.

While in Yerevan, the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff also discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine with his Armenian hosts, condemning the illegal Russian aggression and calling for support and solidarity with Ukraine.

In Budva, Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Rohling, and the Montenegrin Chief of Defence, Brigadier General Zoran Lazarević, sat down to discuss the outcomes of the recent NATO Chiefs of Defence Conference in Prague. Lieutenant General Rohling also took the opportunity to thank Montenegro for its contributions to NATO’s collective defence and the increased support for Ukraine.

Speaking with the Minister of Defence, Mr Dragan Krapovic, Lieutenant General Rohling stressed Montenegro’s critical role in securing stability in the Western Balkans, “NATO praises Montenegro’s contribution to Allied security through your continuous investment into modernization and standardization, which facilitates interoperability and interchangeability of Montenegrin Armed Forces within the Alliance”, underscored Lieutenant General Rohling.

In separate meetings with the President, Mr Jakov Milatovic, and Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, the Montenegrin political leadership announced that the country had edged-over the 2% mark of GDP investment in defence spending. Earlier this year, Montenegro had committed to meet this baseline until the end of 2024. Lieutenant General Rohling praised the increase in defence investment and reflected on the last 7 years of positive contributions by Montenegro to the Alliance, since their accession in 2017. 

Before returning to Brussels, the Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee participated in an engagement at the “To Be Secure” Forum. The theme of this year’s edition was: “World in Disorder: Turning Adversity into Opportunity”. In his remarks, Lieutenant General Rohling Committee highlighted NATO’s response to the fundamental changes of global security, while focusing on cooperation with Montenegro. “NATO is fully committed to Montenegro, which is a key part of the Alliance, and the strong leadership of Montenegro is important for the Alliance.”

Highlighting practical examples of NATO-Montenegrin cooperation, Lieutenant General Rohling said “For the past two months, an element of Montenegro’s forces trained in Germany. They were part of a larger American brigade, and they performed phenomenally during that exercise, and this is a means to demonstrate the readiness of Montenegro’s armed forces in practice. Montenegro also contributes to missions in Iraq, Kosovo and NATO’s Forward Land Forces.”

Throughout the visit, the Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee was accompanied by the US Ambassador to Montenegro, Mrs. Judy Rising Reinke.

Over the past decade, the commercial space sector has grown substantially, driven by rapid advances in technology and higher demand from both civilian and military users.  However, new opportunities in space come with new risks, vulnerabilities and threats.  

During the Commercial Space Forum at NATO, participants discussed the threats they face,  from cyber-attacks against ground systems, to jamming or spoofing of GPS and other satellite communications signals. They also addressed the importance of further investment in areas such as cybersecurity and sharing information about threats.  

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, Ms Tarja Jaakkola, highlighted the need for a new relationship between the military and the commercial sector, “where both sides can learn from another, and where we can support and harness the entrepreneurial spirit and technological innovation essential to keep our defences strong and effective.”

The Forum will help frame NATO’s first Commercial Space Strategy next year, which will include direction for the protection of industry partners. 

Media Advisory

15:45 (CEST)  Joint press conference by the Secretary General and the President of Finland.

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NATO Acting Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Javier Colomina and Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Kupiecki will deliver remarks at the opening session of the conference on 3 October.

NATO has organised the Annual NATO Conference on Arms Control, Disarmament and WMD Non-Proliferation since 2004. This is unique event brings together around 150 participants from 50 countries, Allies, Partners and officials to discuss issues related to WMD challenges and proliferation.

Contact points

Contact the NATO Press Office

Follow us on Twitter (@NATO, @SecGenNATO and @NATOPress).

What does a Secretary General do?

The Secretary General of NATO is the public face of the Alliance and the person who steers the process of consultation and decision-making among the 32 Allies. It’s not an easy job, because 32 different countries with 32 different viewpoints (and a lot of different cultures and languages) need to agree on all decisions before they can be implemented.

How is a Secretary General chosen?

NATO Allies put forward senior political figures from their countries for the post of Secretary General. Member countries engage in informal diplomatic consultations until they are able to reach consensus on one candidate.

How long does the Secretary General serve?

The Secretary General is appointed by NATO Allies for an initial period of four years, but that can be extended if all Allies agree. For example, Jens Stoltenberg was extended four times to lead the Alliance for a total of 10 years!

What does the Secretary General’s day-to-day look like?

The Secretary General chairs major committees, including regular meetings of the main political decision-making body of the Alliance, the North Atlantic Council, as well as other key bodies. They hold meetings with leaders from member and partner countries to discuss topics on NATO’s agenda at NATO Headquarters and abroad, travelling the world on a regular basis. They act as the spokesperson for NATO, representing the Alliance to the public, to other international organisations and to the international press and media. The Secretary General is also the de facto CEO of NATO’s International Staff, who make sure the Alliance is running smoothly.

Connecting cultures for a better understanding: Myriam’s impactful role

“If I were to leave a footprint in the world, it would be to raise cultural awareness and avoid misunderstandings that can lead to conflicts.”

Myriam Andaloro

Born and raised in Lebanon and having lived in Nigeria and now in Italy, Myriam has a natural ability to engage with people from different cultures and religions. Her international background and fascination with multiculturalism, identity and language made her interested in pursuing a career in the area of cultural consultancy and digital communications, which she currently carries out at the NATO Strategic Direction-South Hub, located within the Allied Joint Force Command Naples.

Myriam’s background and linguistic expertise are a valuable asset for the Hub’s mission to foster constructive relations between NATO and partners from the Middle East, North Africa, the Sahel, Sub-Sahara and adjacent areas. Myriam and her colleagues work to create a welcoming environment, where local experts share their unique perspectives in domains ranging from conflict prevention and security over countering terrorism, socio-economic developments and the Women, Peace and Security agenda to technology and innovation.

A few examples of roots of instability, which can spill over to NATO territory, are terrorism, radicalisation, human trafficking, crime, migration and environmental problems. Once a comprehensive picture of these security challenges is formed, the Alliance can better anticipate and, where possible, address challenging issues for the benefit of all.

Bridging NATO and its partners in the South through communication

As a cultural consultant for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Myriam’s role is to identify and respect regional sensitivities. Myriam and her colleagues work to develop a deep understanding of the traditions of these countries, as well as their populations’ perceptions of NATO, to ensure that what is communicated on NATO’s behalf is understood.

When Myriam first joined the Hub, her work focused on French and Arabic translations, and on the cultural overview of the Hub’s media products. Her responsibility was to help dispel misconceptions about NATO and appropriately communicate with external key audiences in the Middle East, Africa, and Allied countries, such as military organisations, regional and international experts.  Over time, Myriam started to take on more multifaceted and dynamic responsibilities, and began working on digital content production, focusing on bolstering mutual understanding and respect.

 “Every day looks slightly different. Some days I am busy translating our reports and updating our website, and on other days I am working hard on creating products for our online or in-person events. I often participate in conferences, which is very enlightening because I get to meet all the impressive experts from the Middle East and Africa.”

While it takes years to positively impact people’s perceptions, Myriam argues that the work of the Hub has been continuously improving the relationship between the Alliance and experts in the South. Knowledge-sharing among them has increased, widening mutual understanding and the scope of future cooperation.

Storytelling for understanding: NATO’s commitment to accurate cultural representation

Recently, Myriam assisted NATO’s Allied Command Transformation in the production of a graphic novella titled “How we see the darkness”. The novella – which is based on the paper “Complex Conflicts in Africa” by Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Cincinnati Dr Alexander Thurston – underlines the necessity for external actors, including NATO, to exercise caution while seeking to build peace in Africa.

Myriam’s role in the project was to ensure that the fictional story depicted an accurate representation of its chosen setting. From examining if the characters were dressed appropriately, to checking whether the architectural style of the region was authentic and religious symbols were accurate, Myriam provided cultural guidance to the graphic contractors to avoid misrepresentations.

Additionally, Myriam translated the novella into both French and Arabic – making it available to non-English speaking audiences.

For Myriam, NATO “means the preservation of human rights and security”, two values that the Alliance has always defended. She aims to contribute to that mission by serving as one of NATO’s cultural experts for the South and is willing to help other Alliance bodies improve their knowledge of Middle Eastern and African countries, while promoting accurate and respectful communication.

At a special session of the North Atlantic Council, Mr Stoltenberg formally handed over to Secretary General Mark Rutte. “It is a great honour to be here and to take up the position of NATO Secretary General” Mr Rutte said before thanking Allies for entrusting him with the responsibility of guiding the Alliance in the coming years.

Secretary General Rutte outlined his three priorities for the Alliance. “The first is to keep NATO strong and ensure our defences remain effective and credible, against all threats” he began. “My second priority is to step up our support for Ukraine and bring it ever closer to NATO, because there can be no lasting security in Europe without a strong, independent Ukraine” he continued, adding that his “third priority is to strengthen our partnerships” in a more interconnected world.

The Secretary General also paid tribute to his predecessor describing his tenure as “exemplary” and adding that “today NATO is bigger, NATO is stronger and is more united than ever, that is in large part because of your leadership.”

In his farewell remarks Mr Stoltenberg commended Mr Rutte’s pragmatism and consensus-building skills while noting that “you don’t compromise on our values and principles.” He also praised his successor’s “personal commitment to our transatlantic bond. And your unwavering support for Ukraine.”

The handover was marked by the ceremonial passing of an historic gavel.