Other Cooperation Initiatives in the Mediterranean
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Chronologies Appendices Other Cooperation Initiatives in the Mediterranean 1. NATO’s Mediterranean mentary to other regional or interna- small arms & light weapons, public di- Dialogue and Istanbul tional initiatives; it has both a political plomacy, scientific and environmental Cooperation Initiative and practical dimension. Until 2011, the cooperation, as well as consultations on overall responsibility for the MD fell to terrorism and the proliferation of weap- Instability in the Mediterranean region is the Mediterranean Cooperation Group ons of mass destruction (WMD). The important to NATO Allies and partners (MCG), established at the Madrid Sum- military dimension of the practical coop- both for humanitarian and geopolitical mit in 1997. It was then replaced by the eration includes invitations to Dialogue reasons as security in the Middle East Political and Partnerships Committee, countries to observe – and in some and North Africa is organically related which is responsible for all partnerships. cases participate – in NATO/PfP military to security in Europe. NATO has devel- The Committee meets at the level of exercises, attend courses and other Other Cooperation Initiatives in the Mediterranean oped a network of partnership with Political Counsellors on a regular basis academic activities at the NATO School seven southern Mediterranean countries to discuss all matters related to the (SHAPE) in Oberammergau (Germany) under the Mediterranean Dialogue Dialogue including its further develop- and the NATO Defense College in (MD), as well as with four countries of ment. At the 2004 Istanbul Summit, Rome (Italy), and visit NATO military the Gulf region through the Istanbul NATO’s Heads of State and Govern- bodies. The Individual and Partnership Cooperation Initiative (ICI). Within these ment elevated the MD to a genuine Cooperation Programme (IPCP), which 396 frameworks, these countries: share in- partnership through the establishment replaces the previous Individual Coop- sights on areas of common interest or of a more ambitious and expanded eration Programme (ICP) framework concern through political consultation framework, which considerably en- document, is aimed at enhancing bilat- and intelligence sharing; participate in hanced both the MD’s political and eral political dialogue as well as tailoring exercises and training for future mis- practical cooperation dimensions. Con- cooperation with NATO according to sions; contribute to current operations; sultations of the 29 Allies (Montenegro key national security needs. Israel, support research on new capability de- became NATO’s 29th member on 5 Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Mauritania and velopment; integrate gender perspec- June), and seven MD countries take Tunisia have all agreed tailored ICPs tive into security and defence; fight place on a regular basis on a bilateral with NATO. At the 2014 Wales Summit against corruption in the defence sec- and multilateral level, at ministerial, am- two important initiatives were endorsed: tor; enhance efforts to destroy or control bassadorial and working level formats. the Partnership Interoperability Initiative arms. The MD started in 1994 with five The political dimension also includes and the Defence and Related Security participating countries, which included visits by NATO Senior Officials, includ- Capacity Building (DCB) Initiative. The Egypt, Israel, Mauritania, Morocco and ing the Secretary General (SG) and the first provides measures to ensure that Tunisia, followed a few years later by Deputy SG, to MD countries. The main the connections built up over years of Algeria and Jordan. The Dialogue has purpose of these visits is to conduct operations and exercises will be deep- the following features: it is progressive high-level political consultations with the ened so that partners will contribute to in terms of participation and content; it relevant host authorities on the way for- future NATO-led operations (currently 2020 is generally bilateral in the NATO+1 for- ward in NATO’s political and practical only Jordan has access to enhanced mat but also admits multilateral meet- cooperation under the Dialogue. The cooperation). The DCB Initiative is de- ings in the NATO+7 format; the same new Strategic Concept, adopted at the mand- driven and aims at NATO’s com- basis is offered to all the partners ac- Lisbon Summit in 2011, identifies co- mitment with partners. This package cording to a non-discrimination princi- operative security as one of three key includes: seven areas of cooperation ple; however each country can decide priorities for the Alliance. Practical co- (cyber defence, military exercises, to intensify its own participation in the operation in the MD includes seminars, Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices spirit of self-differentiation through an workshops and other practical activities cooperation, border security…); the in- Mediterranean Yearbook Individual Cooperation Programme in the fields of modernization of the vitation to participate in the 2015 NATO (ICP) and NATO will not impose the armed forces, civil emergency planning, Cyber Coalition exercise (the first MD Med. Med. IE extent of the cooperation; it is comple- crisis management, border security, countries to do so); and a Science for Peace and Security (SPS) project on ISAF operation in Afghanistan. Follow- • 19-20 February, Brussels, Belgium: Counter-IED. The Science for Peace ing the launch of Operation Unified Pro- A group of Algerian parliamentarians from and Security (SPS) Programme is a tector (OUP) in Libya, Qatar and the the council of the Nation and the people’s policy tool that enhances cooperation United Arab Emirates promptly provided National assembly visit NATO headquar- and dialogue with all partners, based on air assets to the operation and were ters in the framework of the Mediterra- Appendices scientific research, innovation, and recognized as contributing nations, nean Dialogue’s public diplomacy activi- knowledge exchange. It provides fund- playing a key role in the success of the ties, where they are briefed on the ing, expert advice, and support to secu- operation. Finally, within the Parliamen- Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul rity-relevant activities. More than 30 tary dimension of NATO a Mediterra- Cooperation Initiative, current relations SPS activities are held with MD coun- nean and Middle East Special Group with Russia, the Science for Peace and tries covering areas such as cyber-de- (GSM) was created in 1996 as a forum Security Programme, energy security, fence training for Morocco, the imple- for parliamentarians of NATO and the counter-terrorism and cyber defence. mentation of a cyber-defence strategy MENA region to discuss security issues. www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_ in Jordan, the development of advanced The GSM conducts seminars, bringing 164029.htm security technologies in Israel and the together parliamentarians from NATO • 20 February, Brussels, Belgium: The creation of a regional crisis management countries with their counterparts in the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) centre in Mauritania. Unlike the MD, the region, to explore specific topics and to meets with NATO civilian and military ICI only focuses on practical coopera- consider the annual GSM Report. The officials and discusses partnerships tion and it was launched in 2004. It is Group also undertakes an annual visit with Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) addressed to the Gulf Countries and, to a country in the region. partners and Mediterranean Dialogue as it stands, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and (MD) partners, NATO’s approach to the the United Arab Emirates have all joined Main Events in 2019 South, and NATO’s missions and op- the Initiative. Based on the principle of erations. The students - future diplomats inclusiveness, the Initiative is, however, • 10-11 January, Brussels, Belgium: - are accompanied by the EDA Director Other Cooperation Initiatives in the Mediterranean open to all interested countries of the Algerian academics visit NATO head- General, Ambassador Bernardino Leon, broader Middle East region who sub- quarters where they are briefed on sev- the former United Nations Special Rep- scribe to its aims and content, including eral topics including NATO’s coopera- resentative and Head of the United Na- the fight against terrorism and the pro- tion with Mediterranean Dialogue tions Support Mission in Libya. liferation of weapons of mass destruc- countries; the Science for Peace and www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_ tion. The Initiative offers bilateral activi- Security (SPS) programme; energy se- 164030.htm?selectedLocale=en 397 ties that countries can choose from, curity; and cooperation in the field of • 05 March, New York, USA: Repre- which comprise a range of cooperation counter-terrorism. sentatives of NATO and the United areas: tailored advice on defence trans- www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_ Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism formation; military-to-military coopera- 162258.htm?selectedLocale=en (UNOCT) sign a Memorandum of Un- tion to contribute to interoperability • 20-21 January, Tel Aviv, Israel: NATO derstanding on the implementation of through participation in selected military Deputy Secretary General Rose Got- the joint Project on “Enhancing Capa- exercises and through participation in temoeller pays an official visit to Israel, bilities to prepare for and respond to a selected NATO and PfP exercises and to discuss practical cooperation activi- terrorist attack in Jordan featuring the in NATO-led operations on a