NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced this Tuesday the extension of his mandate until October 1, 2024, following a joint decision by the 31 member states of the Atlantic Alliance.
“I am honored by the decision of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies [NATO] to extend my term as Secretary General until October 1, 2024,” Jens Stoltenberg wrote on the social network Twitter.
NATO’s Secretary General added that “the transatlantic link between Europe and North America has provided freedom and security for nearly 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 the Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance will stay in office.
The mandate usually lasts four years. Jens Stoltenberg’s was supposed to end in September 2022, but due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of that year, the Allies chose to extend it.
The succession issue came up earlier this year, but Stoltenberg maintained the “taboo” as several international media outlets anticipated potential successors.
Last week, Atlantic Alliance sources confirmed to various media outlets, including Lusa, that a second extension of the mandate of Jens Stoltenberg, former Prime Minister of Norway, would be on the table.
Exactly one week before the start of the NATO Summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Secretary General announced that the 31 member states agreed to retain leadership for at least one more year.
NATO member states are Portugal, United States, Spain, France, Germany, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland (joined in April this year), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, Romania and Turkey.
Ukraine welcomes Stoltenberg’s reappointment as leader of the Atlantic Alliance
Ukraine this Tuesday welcomed the “strong leadership” of Jens Stoltenberg, one of Kiev’s main supporters in the face of the Russian invasion, after the Norwegian politician and diplomat was reappointed as head of NATO for another year.
“Excellent news. Tough times call for strong leadership. Jens Stoltenberg has shown this. I look forward to continuing our cooperation,” Ukraine’s head of diplomacy Dmytro Kuleba said on the social network Twitter.
“I am honored by the decision of NATO allies to extend my term as Secretary General until October 1, 2024,” Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter.
Source: DN
