On 13 July 2021, the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff (IMS), Lieutenant Hans-Werner Wiermann under the auspice of the Cooperative Security Division hosted the first in-person meeting with NATO Partners at NATO HQ since the start of pandemic. The meeting provided an opportunity to present the outcomes of the NATO Summit and explore ways to enhance existing partnerships.
Lieutenant General Wiermann extended a warm welcome to the 32 participating partner military representatives attending the in-person meeting at NATO HQ and thanked them for their additional support during the pandemic. The ongoing health crisis has illustrated once more the benefits of partnerships between NATO, NATO Allies and non-NATO Nations. Many Nations, including Allies and Partners, have been able to receive support through Operation Allied Hand with medical equipment and/or funds to acquire additional supplies. “Although many Partners have benefitted from NATO and bilateral support throughout the pandemic, this would have not been possible without the contributions of other countless partners. Allies and Partners alike have exemplified the concept of solidarity to not only help each other but ultimately try and save lives”, highlighted the Director General in his opening remarks.
The participants then turned their attention to the NATO 2030 agenda. Last month, at the Summit, Allied Heads of State and Government acknowledged the need to enhance existing relations with Partners as well as develop new partnerships around the world, including in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Today’s meeting set the scene to foster dialogue between NATO and existing Partners, exchange ideas and build on the Summit decisions. “We face many of the same security challenges, so it makes sense to tackle them together. And the more we cooperate to tackle them, the more we will all benefit. At the Summit, in June, Allies agreed that we need to do more with Partners and we are looking to deliver on that request. To project peace and stability even further”, emphasised the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Bauer at the reception.
Over more than 25 years, the Alliance has developed a network of partnerships that contribute to improved security for the broader international community. NATO partners have made and continue to make substantial contributions to NATO operations, missions, and practical cooperation activities. Through different frameworks, NATO pursues dialogue and practical cooperation across on land, sea and in the air as well as in the cyber domain.
The IMS by means of its Cooperative Security Division holds regular meetings with NATO Partners to assess these ongoing partnerships. All partners from the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the Mediterranean Dialogue, the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative and the Partners across the globe framework were invited to this meeting with the exception of Russia and Belarus.