NATO and the Government of Canada have concluded an agreement on the co-location of the NATO Liaison Office (NLO) with the Canadian Permanent Mission to the UN in New York. Finalised on 24 September 2025, the temporary arrangement is intended as a stepping stone toward a more permanent one.
Meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on the margins of the UN General Assembly, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte thanked Canada for its generous hospitality and the excellent cooperation between her team and NATO's International Staff.
NATO established the post of Military Liaison Officer to the UN in 1999, later reinforcing its presence in New York by deploying a Civilian Liaison Officer in 2010. In 2024, a further post was created, establishing the NATO Liaison Office. The NLO is tasked with strengthening ties between NATO and the UN, working closely with both secretariats, as well as with Allies and partners in New York.
NATO and the UN share a commitment to international peace and security, and NATO's founding North Atlantic Treaty is based on the principles of the UN Charter. Over the years, NATO has provided support to UN-sponsored operations, including in Sudan and Somalia; escorted World Food Programme ships off the coast of Somalia; and airlifted aid to Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, NATO's defence capacity-building package for the United Nations has helped to train UN peacekeepers in critical areas including IT/communications, medical care, and countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The organisations also work together on issues including arms control, the fight against terrorism, and human security.
