On 14 December 2023, the NATO Military Committee held two different meetings with Partners to prepare and discuss the agenda for the upcoming Chiefs of Defence meeting, in January 2024.
Opening the first meeting, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer welcomed the Military Representatives of NATO's Indo-Pacific Partners - Australia, Japan, Republic of Korea and New Zealand - to the table and stressed the benefits of working together to tackle common security challenges such China, Cyber, Climate Change and Maritime Security. "These global challenges demand global solutions, and we stand with our Partners to preserve the rules-based international order, with a global system based on norms and values instead of brute violence and intimidation", he noted.
The NATO and Invitee Military Representatives then received regional security updates from their Australian, Japanese and New Zealander colleagues, highlighting the growing concerns about China and Russia as well as their deepening strategic cooperation. "Allies and like-minded Partners must continue working together to address the systemic challenges that Russia and China pose to the Euro-Atlantic and global security", underlined the Chair.
In the second meeting, the NATO Military Committee welcomed their counterparts from the five Nations of the Partner Interoperability Advocacy Group (PIAG) - Australia, Austria, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland. The PIAG Nations hold non-NATO Nation Status, granting an individual security agreement that allows the exchange of classified information and participation in NATO training and exercises.
Greeting the PIAG Military Representatives, Admiral Bauer stressed that NATO's broad array of partnership programmes reinforces collective security beyond the Alliance's borders and provides unique opportunities to deepen existing military cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
At the Madrid and Vilnius Summits, NATO Allies agreed to step up cooperation with existing Partners and seek out new like-minded Partners, as such the NATO Military Committee has been engaging more regularly with Partners to fulfil this pledge. "Today's meetings are the embodiment of an existential need to increase and deepen our cooperation with Partners. It is also a reminder for all us that none of us stand-alone in the face of challenges or threats. As long as you have Partners, you have solutions. I look forward to welcoming our PIAG & Indo-Pacific Partners to our Chiefs of Defence meeting early next year", Admiral Bauer concluded.
