Jens Stoltenberg was asked to extend his stay at the helm of NATO on Tuesday, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
The Norwegian politician, who has been the transatlantic alliance’s leader since 2014, said in a tweet he was “honoured by NATO Allies’ decision" to extend his term as secretary-general until October 1, 2024.
Stoltenberg added: “The transatlantic bond between Europe and North America has ensured our freedom and security for nearly 75 years, and in a more dangerous world, our Alliance is more important than ever.”
His contract will be formally prolonged by NATO’s 31 national leaders when the Western military alliance holds its annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, next week, the PAP news agency reported.
Tuesday’s decision means that Stoltenberg’s originally four-year tenure will be extended for the fourth time.
NATO opts for continuity at top
This means that NATO has opted to stick with an experienced leader rather than trying to agree on a successor while Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on, the Reuters news agency reported.
The 64-year-old Stoltenberg is seen across NATO as “a steady leader and patient consensus builder,” and respected for his “calm demeanor under pressure,” according to news outlets.
His strengths are thought to include an “ability to navigate the sensitivities of a large and diverse alliance,” according to the Politico news service.
Diplomats and analysts give Stoltenberg high marks for keeping NATO together over Ukraine, striking a balance between those demanding maximum support for Kyiv and others urging more caution out of fear of sparking a global conflict, according to Reuters.
NATO's top international civil servant
The secretary-general is NATO's top international civil servant, according to the transatlantic alliance’s treaty.
The NATO chief chairs the North Atlantic Council—the alliance's principal political decision-making body—as well as other senior decision-making committees, and, together with a Ukrainian representative, the NATO-Ukraine Commission, among other roles, the PAP news agency reported.
Moreover, the secretary-general “has the authority to propose items for discussion and use their good offices in case of disputes between member states,” the Western military alliance says.
The NATO chief acts as a “decision facilitator, leading and guiding the process of consensus building and decision-making throughout the alliance,” according to officials.
To achieve this, the secretary-general “maintains direct contact with heads of state and government, foreign and defence ministers in NATO and partner countries,” the PAP news agency reported.
This entails “regular visits to NATO and partner countries, as well as bilateral meetings with senior national officials when they visit NATO headquarters."
Moreover, the secretary-general is NATO’s “principal spokesperson” and “represents the alliance in public on behalf of the member countries, reflecting their common positions on political issues,” the PAP news agency reported.
He also represents NATO “vis-à-vis other international organisations as well as to the media and the public at large,” officials said.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Tuesday is day 496 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters, politico.eu, NATO
