NATO to discuss relations with southern neighbours in Washington

NATO members will discuss closer relations with Middle Eastern and African countries and define a new strategy by July, chief Jens Stoltenberg said after a debate among foreign ministers on Thursday (4 April). 

Stoltenberg received a report from independent experts last month meant to “provide NATO advice on how to even better address both the challenges we see in the neighbourhood but also the opportunities”.

The experts’ report and recommendations are expected to be made public by the time of the leaders’ summit in Washington between 9-11 July.

“We hope to see some ambitious conclusions being made … in Washington in July,” Stoltenberg said, without giving any details as to what the new strategy would look like.

“This is about terrorism, it’s about instability, but it’s also about the value and opportunities in working with partners in our southern neighbourhood — be it North Africa or the Middle East,” Stoltenberg added. 

The military alliance has been looking to improve its relationship and security partnership with its ‘Southern Neighbourhood,’ in the hope of stabilising its surroundings, and combatting or at least matching growing Chinese and Russian influence in the region.

However, any ambition might be hampered by some NATO members who have differing approaches to relations with those countries and their governments.

The Western alliance’s members face the difficult challenge of giving their southern neighbours more than China and Russia, who offer attractive deals on energy or weapons deliveries, without raising any human rights concerns.

The West also faced criticism at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when they asked for unlimited support to Kyiv from countries all around the world, including those who preferred to steer clear of involvement, sometimes because of their relationship with Moscow.

A need for dialogue

The need to “engage in dialogue” with the southern flank countries is often reiterated, with some allies rehashing the idea of setting up NATO offices in the region and having a firmer foothold closer to the potential governmental and security partners. 

Ideas around additional dialogue opportunities are also being considered, including invitations to NATO ambassadors’ meetings.

Some other countries, said two diplomats familiar with the matter, believe the strategy should not be only about the “battle of narratives” but rather about sketching out a security relationship beneficial for either side, for instance on how to protect deal with cyber threats.

“We speak of many different countries, different challenges, different opportunities,” Stoltenberg said without naming any specific nations.

NATO already has partnerships with several Southern Neighbourhood countries, such as Jordan, Tunisia, or Mauritania, and a training mission in Iraq.

The potential consequences of unchecked foreign influence can be seen in Russia’s relationship with Iran. 

Iran is helping Russia with war equipment such as artillery, missiles and drones, a NATO official said, because it has offered Iran “unprecedented defence cooperation.” Iran is also “seeking billions of dollars worth of military equipment from Russia”.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic/Alice Taylor]

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