NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Tuesday the extension of his mandate until October 1, 2024, following a concerted decision among the 31 member states of the Atlantic Alliance.
“I am honored by the decision of the allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] extend my term as Secretary General until October 1, 2024”, wrote Jens Stoltenberg on the social network Twitter.
The NATO Secretary General added that “the transatlantic connection between Europe and North America has guaranteed freedom and security for almost 75 years.”
“In an even more dangerous world, our alliance is more important than ever,” he added.
Stoltenberg’s announcement puts an end to speculation about whether or not he will continue as secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance.
The term usually lasts four years. Jens Stoltenberg’s should have ended in September 2022, however, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of that year, the allies chose to extend it.
The question of the succession arose earlier this year, but Stoltenberg maintained the ‘taboo’, while several international media anticipated possible successors.
Last week, sources from the Atlantic Alliance confirmed to various media, including Lusa, that a second extension of the mandate of Jens Stoltenberg, former Norwegian prime minister, would be on the table.
Precisely one week before the start of the NATO Summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Secretary General announced that the 31 member states agreed to maintain leadership for at least one more year.
NATO member states are Portugal, the United States, Spain, France, Germany, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland (joined in April this year), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom, Romania and Turkey.
Source: TSF
