NATO Begins 1st Mission Beyond Euro-Atlantic

NATO Begins 1st Mission Beyond Euro-Atlantic

Today NATO has taken a leadership role in providing security in and around Kabul in Afghanistan, in what is the Alliance’s first mission beyond the Euro-Atlantic area.

At a ceremony held in Kabul, the Alliance formally assumed a leadership role in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a UN-mandated force tasked with helping provide security in and around Kabul.

This groundbreaking operation demonstrates NATO’s resolve and ability to address new security challenges and take on new missions and is clearly of benefit to all involved: to Afghanistan and its people, the United Nations and the wider international community, and the NATO nations and their Partners.

According to ISAF’s operational commander, General Sir Jack Deverell, this step was “a milestone in NATO’s development representing a real break from the NATO of the past to an Alliance which is more relevant and has greater utility in the uncertain security environment of the future.”

NATO Briefing: Working to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan (pdf)

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