NATO Defence Ministers agreed on Wednesday 15 April to strengthen the Alliance’s resilience.
“Ministers agreed on a set of recommendations to strengthen our resilience by updating our existing baseline requirements for civil preparedness based on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis and by working even more closely with our international partners”, said Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg after a ministerial videoconference that addressed how to prepare for the long-term effects of COVID-19.
While it is too early to draw definitive conclusions, ministers have already agreed on the need to strengthen the resilience of societies, better plan for future pandemics, protect critical industries, and improve business continuity planning, according to Stoltenberg. “It will always be possible to improve and strengthen our resilience and the way we deal with this type of crisis”, he acknowledged.
NATO has seven basic requirements for resilience: continuity of governance, energy supplies, movement of people, food and water resources, mass casualty management, telecommunications, and transport. The Secretary General explained that lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis will be taken into account in updating these requirements.
This resilience could be tested in the post-crisis period. Indeed, “the fact that we will most likely experience an economic downturn could make some Allies more vulnerable to situations where critical infrastructure could be sold. And that can undermine our resilience”, Stoltenberg warned.
This economic slowdown could also have consequences for Allied military spending. “Of course, there will be budgetary consequences”, the Secretary General acknowledged, while nevertheless seeking to be reassuring. “Investing in military capabilities is not only important for addressing military threats. Having military capabilities is also extremely useful in dealing with a health crisis”, he explained, as the military is actively engaged in the fight against COVID-19 in allied countries.
“NATO must adapt. NATO must change. But I don’t think NATO should be the first or main responder to a health crisis. What NATO should do and is doing is to support civilian efforts to combat this health crisis”, Stoltenberg stressed.
Ministers also discussed cooperation among Allies to combat the pandemic. More than 100 flights have already been organised to enable the Allies to help each other in the fight against the coronavirus.
They also discussed the fight against disinformation. “We are also working even more closely with Allies and the European Union to identify, monitor, and expose disinformation and to respond robustly”, the Secretary General pledged.
Finally, Ministers discussed the continuation of NATO’s activities. “Security challenges have not diminished because of COVID-19, quite the contrary. Potential adversaries will seek to exploit the situation to serve their own interests”, Mr Stoltenberg warned, citing terrorist groups, continued Russian military activity, and the fragile security situation in Afghanistan and Iraq.
While the Alliance’s activities, including its missions, continue, “some troops have been infected, tested positive, and some are under quarantine”, Stoltenberg explained, citing members of the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan. Sick staff have left the country, he said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)