NATO DELEGATIONS
Each member country has a permanent delegation at NATO's political headquarters in Brussels. Each delegation is headed by an "ambassador", who represents his/her government in the Alliance's consultation and decision-making process.
THE NUCLEAR PLANNING GROUP
The Nuclear Planning Group has the same authority as the North Atlantic Council with regard to nuclear policy issues.
THE NAC: AT THE HEART OF NATO
The North Atlantic Council (NAC) is the principal political decision-making body at NATO. Each member country has a seat at the NAC.
It meets at least once a week or whenever the need arises, at different levels. It is chaired by the Secretary General, who helps members reach agreement on key issues.
SUBORDINATE COMMITTEES
NATO has a network of committees to deal with all subjects on its agenda, from political to more technical issues. They bring national representatives and experts from all NATO member countries together on a regular basis.
NATO AGENCIES
NATO agencies and organisations play a vital role in procuring and sustaining capabilities collectively. They specialise in technical fields that complement and form an integral part of NATO's agenda: procurement, support and communications and information.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL
The Secretary General is the Alliance's top international civil servant. He/she is responsible for steering the process of consultation and decision-making within the Alliance and ensuring that decisions are implemented. The Secretary General is also NATO's chief spokesperson and heads the Organization's International Staff, who provide advice, guidance and administrative support to the national delegations at NATO Headquarters.
MILITARY ORGANISATION AND STRUCTURE
When the implementation of political decisions has military implications, the key actors involved are: the Military Committee, composed of the Chiefs of Defence of NATO member countries; the International Military Staff, the Military Committee's executive body; and the military command structure, composed of Allied Command Operations and Allied Command Transformation.
NATO has very few permanent forces of its own. When the North Atlantic Council agrees to launch an operation, members contribute military forces on a voluntary basis. These forces then return to their countries once the mission is completed.
MEMBERS OF NATO
The countries in NATO and when they joined are Belgium in 1949, Canada in 1949, Denmark in 1949, France in 1949, Iceland in 1949, Italy in 1949, Luxembourg in 1949, The Netherlands in 1949, Norway in 1949, Portugal in 1949, The United Kingdom in 1949 and The United States in 1949. Those are the founders of NATO. The rest and when they joined are as follows. Greece in 1952, Türkiye in 1952, Germany in 1955, Spain in 1982, Czechia in 1999, Hungary in 1999, Poland in 1999, Bulgaria in 2004, Estonia in 2004, Latvia in 2004, Lithuania in 2004, Romania in 2004, Slovakia in 2004, Slovenia in 2004, Albania in 2009, Croatia in 2009, Montenegro in 2017, North Macedonia in 2020, Finland in 2023, and Sweden in 2024.
YOU ARE READING
The Alpha Echo Team: Book 1: Part 1
Science FictionThis is a story inspired by the TV franchise "Star Trek." We shall get you up to speed with how we are now, and then we shall delve into the exiting adventures known as the Alpha Echo Teams life. You can see the emergencies we go out on and how easy...
