Professor Ana Santos Pinto was appointed to chair the NATO group of experts on the southern flank, the first time that a Portuguese personality leads a group of these characteristics, the Portuguese Government announced this Friday.
“The Portuguese Government welcomes the appointment of Professor Ana Santos Pinto to the presidency of the group of experts of the Atlantic Alliance on the southern flank, this being the first time that a Portuguese personality presides over a group of these characteristics in NATO,” he stated. the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE), in a statement.
According to the briefing note, during the Alliance summit in Vilnius, which took place in July, “the Heads of State and Government ordered the North Atlantic Council to carry out a comprehensive reflection on threats and challenges, as well as on opportunities to strengthen cooperation with partners on the southern flank of the Alliance.”
The objective, according to the Portuguese diplomatic statement, is to present a set of concrete proposals to approve a new approach towards the region at the next NATO summit, which should take place in Washington, in July 2024, on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance.
The group of independent experts chaired by Ana Santos Pinto will therefore have the mission of supporting the Alliance in reviewing its approach towards the Southern neighborhood.
“The fact that Portugal was one of the main driving countries of this initiative within the framework of NATO, together with its academic and professional career, very complete and multifaceted, contributed to the national candidate being chosen to preside over this group, among the various candidates from the 31 allied countries,” the statement also reads.
The group of independent experts will prepare a report that will be presented to the NATO Secretary General in April 2024, before the meeting of foreign ministers of the Atlantic Alliance.
“The document will guide the debate of the allies on the evolution of their relationship with the Southern neighborhood, taking into account concrete recommendations for a new approach of the Alliance in this region,” the statement indicates.
The group chaired by Ana Santos Pinto will include personalities from several allied countries: Germany, Denmark, Spain, the United States, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom and Turkey.
Source: TSF
