Category: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Deputy Chair of the Military Committee Lieutenant General Andrew M. Rohling praised Stoltenberg’s democratic leadership and the spirit of strength and unity he has instilled in Allied Nations.  “Mr. Secretary General, you have been a true leader of the Alliance. You have charted our political course, firmly safeguarding NATO’s moral compass, supported by your own unfailing moral compass. You brought nations together and you inspired them to be bigger than themselves”.

The second-longest serving Secretary General in NATO’s history, Jens Stoltenberg witnessed some of the most turbulent years in the Alliance’s history. The former Norwegian Prime Minister took office shortly after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. The following years saw major shifts in the security environment, especially with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, terrorist attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic and the formal accession of four new NATO Allies – Montenegro, North Macedonia, Finland and Sweden.

During this period, Jens Stoltenberg maintained the NATO’s high morale while actively contributing to the strengthening of the Allied political-military dialogue. “Throughout your term in office, you have always showed the utmost respect and a keen understanding of the military profession. You have made sure the political and military sides of the house grew closer together. That is why the connection between the Military Committee and the North Atlantic Council is so crucial”, Lieutenant General Rohling said.

Rohling: “The Alliance owes you a great debt. As a numbers man, and a former Minister of Finance, I know that you hate debt. Especially debt that can never fully be repaid. So we promise you here, that we will attempt to pay back our debt by working together in the spirit of strength and unity, following the example that you have set.”

In his response, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated: “It is actually me that owes you a debt of gratitude. For all of your hard work and cooperation over these past ten years. NATO is now bigger, stronger and more ready than ever to face any challenge.”

“It has been a real privilege to serve as Secretary General and work closely with the Military Committee, the Allied Chiefs of Defence and the Military Representatives”, Jens Stoltenberg shared. “As much as it may be sad to stepdown, NATO’s resilience and strength is not dependent on individuals but on the collective”.

On Thursday (26 September), the Secretary General spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations. Reacting to Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine, he called Moscow’s rhetoric “dangerous and reckless” and said Russia, “cannot coerce us from supporting Ukraine.” He noted that NATO Allies continue to deliver unprecedented military support to Ukraine and that NATO is playing a critical role including through the command agreed at the Washington Summit in July. Mr Stoltenberg  said: “If you want a peaceful Europe, you need a stable Ukraine.  He outlined that ensuring peace for Ukraine means providing military support and credible security guarantees, noting that the most credible guarantee is NATO’s Article 5.

The Secretary General reflected on how the Alliance has been strengthening its defences since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, including with more battlegroups and high-readiness troops on the eastern flank, and increased defence investments. On partnerships, Mr. Stoltenberg highlighted that, faced with global challenges – such as terrorism, cyber-attacks and growing competition with China – it is essential to work ever more closely with partners that share our values, including in the Indo-Pacific​.

While in New York, Mr Stoltenberg attended a commemorative event marking the 20th anniversary of the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative. He also met leaders and senior officials including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Crown Prince of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani and Chairman of US Defense Secretary’s Defense Innovation Board Mike Bloomberg. On Monday (23 September), the Secretary General was awarded the Concordia Leadership Award at their Annual Summit.

Participants included high level officials, such as NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Operations, Burcu San, the Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia, Alexander Vinnikov, and the Deputy Chief of the Georgian General Staff, Major General Zaza Chkhaidze, as well as commandants and senior enlisted leaders, and senior instructors of Schools for Non-Commissioned Officers from both NATO Allies and partners. Representatives from Malawi and Columbia also participated for the first time.

They discussed a range of issues, including the preparation of NCO specialists and the education of young generations of NCOs, as well as various initiatives run by NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme in the domain of NCOs’ development. They also received an update from representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the role performed by their NCOs corps in defending against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Non-commissioned officers are vital to the effectiveness and resilience of modern militaries, as they provide critical role-models for service members and support the development of military education systems.

This year’s conference in Georgia built on two previous conferences hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The Conference of NCO Academies and Schools was established by NATO’s DEEP Team as a platform to enable these institutions to communicate, synchronise curricula, and share best practices.

Read the full transcript of the conversation here.

Through the new project, contributors will develop a cyber platform that will allow organizations to train staff, test new technologies, and assess processes under pressure from simulated cyber-attacks. Over the next two years, the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics – ICI Bucharest (Romania) and the Special Communication and Information Security State Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan will work together to bring this initiative to life. The aim is to help cyber defence teams better understand the vulnerabilities of Operational Technology systems so they can be better protected. These systems are the backbone of critical infrastructure such as power grids, water treatment plants, and transportation systems. 

While in Baku, the NATO team also organized an Information Day at ADA University. It focused on NATO’s scientific cooperation activities involving Azerbaijan, and on encouraging new ideas involving the local research community. Over 40 participants from academia, as well as from Azerbaijan’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Defence participated in the event.

NATO’s SPS Programme has a history of cooperation with Azerbaijan. Over the years, this has included activities focused on neutralising toxic rocket fuel left behind from Soviet times, securing energy infrastructure against seismic hazards, protecting cyber networks, and developing sensors for the detection of landmines and explosives. 

Through its activities, the SPS Programme provides opportunities for academics, experts and officials in Azerbaijan, as well as other partner countries, to develop proposals for innovative scientific projects to be implemented with peers in NATO countries. Through these activities, participants exchange knowledge on security-related topics and build relationships that expand international scientific networks. 

Are you a young professional, interested in accelerating your career by gaining experience working for a political and military alliance that protects one billion people?

If you are a citizen of a NATO member country with a Master’s degree and at least one year of work experience, the YPP offers a unique opportunity to work with NATO for three years across different countries and NATO bodies.

For the third cycle of the YPP there are 13 positions available for talented people from a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds, including:

• Data Science and Innovation
• Economics and Finance
• Engineering and Logistics
• Human Resources
• ICT and Cyber Security
• International Political Affairs
• Legal Affairs
• Marketing and Communications
• Programme and Project Management

The deadline to apply is 27 October 2024. We encourage you to apply well in advance.

For more information about the NATO Young Professionals Programme, including eligibility criteria and the full application process, please visit the Young Professionals Programme web page.  

Following Sweden’s accession to NATO on 7 March 2024 as NATO’s 32nd member, we are pleased to announce that Swedish nationals are welcome to apply to the Young Professionals Programme, alongside candidates from NATO’s 31 other member countries.

Mr. Stoltenberg thanked the Crown Prince for hosting the anniversary event and reaffirmed the importance of the NATO-ICI partnership as a platform for cooperation, highlighting its evolution and achievements. The Secretary General underlined areas of close cooperation between NATO and the ICI partners – including cyber defence, security sector reform, climate change, energy security, maritime security, and the protection of critical infrastructure. “During these two decades, our cooperation has grown from strength to strength”, he said, praising the Gulf partners’ contributions and participation.

Mr. Stoltenberg emphasized that, when faced with “a deeply deteriorated security environment, we see more than ever that our security is not regional, but global”, closer cooperation with partners in the Gulf and wider Middle East region is a necessary step. He outlined the decisions taken by Allies at the Washington Summit in July 2024 to increase NATO’s engagement in the Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel. Referring to Javier Colomina’s appointment as the new Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, the Secretary General stated that it is “the first time the Alliance has a dedicated focal point for this work”. He also referred to the upcoming​opening of the NATO Liaison Office in Jordan, the broadened scope of the training mission in Iraq, the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre in Kuwait and the Hub for the South in Naples, which provide “an even stronger basis on which to take our partnerships forward”, said the Secretary General.

The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) was launched in 2004 and provides a partnership forum to practical cooperation and political dialogue between NATO and partner countries in the Gulf region. Four countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have joined the initiative, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

The NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre in Kuwait (NIRC) opened in 2017 and helps strengthen political dialogue, education and training, and public diplomacy. The centre was inaugurated in 2017 by Secretary General Stoltenberg, marking NATO’s first such presence in the Gulf region.

KFOR makes critical contributions to stability in Kosovo and the Western Balkans, providing a safe and secure environment for all communities and freedom of movement in an impartial manner. During his tenure, Major General Ulutaş has forged close relations with representatives of the Institutions in Kosovo, the Chief of Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, and the international community, including the EU, the OSCE and the UN missions.

One year  after the attacks in Zvecan and Banjska, it is urgent to bring those responsible to justice and NATO looks to Serbia to help ensure full accountability. KFOR aims to ensure such attacks do not happen again. It is paramount that both sides refrain from uncoordinated actions which could fuel tensions, jeopardise security or put KFOR soldiers at risk. NATO continues to support the EU-facilitated Dialogue as the framework to achieve a long-term, sustainable solution that respects the rights of all communities. 

“Under my command, KFOR has successfully maintained peace and security throughout Kosovo, in accordance with our long-standing UN mandate. Through a visible, flexible and adaptable posture, we have prevented risks for renewed violence, and swiftly contained situations that could lead to incidents or escalation. We have further reinforced the mission and continued our role as an impartial force, working with all communities to foster safety and security, for all. We have also continued to provide the secure environment necessary for diplomatic efforts to move forward,” said Major General Ulutaş.

Major General Ulutaş steps down on 11 October 2024. He will be succeeded by Major General Enrico Barduani, from Italy.

Organised by NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC), the exercise will bring together Allies and partners, as well as other international organizations. Participants will be confronted with scenarios that include natural and industrial disasters, hybrid threats, and complex emergencies. They will be able to test procedures related to the coordination of different activities and logistical support. Exercises like this help to gauge the ability of personnel from different countries to work effectively alongside each other, promote cooperation between civilian and military actors involved in disasters response, and build up the ability of Allies and partners to tackle complex and interconnected security threats. This is essential to building resilience and to preparing for potential challenges, including those related to climate change.

The Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) is NATO’s principal civil emergency response mechanism. It is available to all Allies and partner countries and can support them with both response and preparedness for natural and human-made disasters and other emergencies.

The exercise was announced today (25 September 2024) at NATO Headquarters by NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Operations, Ms. Burcu San, and the Director General for Fire Safety and Civil Protection at the Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria, Mr. Aleksandar Dzhartov.

French Navy Admiral Vandier is the ninth Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. After joining the French Naval academy, he rapidly became a naval fighter pilot, performing numerous combat missions for almost two decades. He has commanded twice at sea, the frigate Surcouf and the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Most recently he was Chief of the Naval Staff and then Vice Chief of defence.

Admiral Bauer warmly welcomed Admiral Vandier and emphasised the importance of ACT in building the Alliance’s future: “ACT plays an invaluable role in ensuring that the Alliance safeguards the security and interests of its members against both the current threats and challenges we face today, as well as those that may arise in the future and beyond our present imagination. Allied Command Transformation is a symbol of NATO’s confident embrace of the future and its challenges.”

Admiral Bauer highlighted the major successes of General Lavigne at the helm of ACT over the past three years. During his tenure at Allied Command Transformation, General Lavigne has overseen: 

• the military integration of North Macedonia, Finland and Sweden;
• the Multi Domain Operations concept, roadmap and implementation, supported by Digital Transformation and the continuum of experimentation & innovation;
• the integration of the DDA family of Plans into the NATO Defence Planning Process;
• the implementation of the Warfare Development Agenda;
• and ACT’s work in developing all fields of innovation on which DIANA is able to grow.

Admiral Bauer praised the leadership that General Lavigne has shown during this time: “With your keen intellect, strategic vision and infectious enthusiasm, you manage to make sure everybody who crosses your path wants to join your team. Nobody embodies the slogan “win as a team” like you do.”

In his speech, Admiral Bauer stressed that in order to address modern defence challenges, Allies must rethink their approach to cooperation with the private sector. Moving away from a ‘just enough, just in time’ mindset, the Allies now need substantial stockpiles of weaponry and a decisive technological edge for deterrence. “In defending against near-peer adversaries, governments and the private sector must break the deadlock, fostering trust, long-term vision, and innovation. With our extensive reservoir of knowledge and creativity, I’m confident we can achieve this transformation”, stated Admiral Bauer.   

At the ceremony, Admiral Vandier stated his vision for the command: “For all of us here, maintaining our military credibility calls for an extraordinary effort to modernize our training; aggregate new technologies; and invent new combat tactics that will give us operational superiority in a context of rapid global rearmament.” He continued by stressing that his “commitment, our collective commitment, is to provide the most efficient tools and procedures that will give them operational success in conflict and war.”