In the past several years, the ability to protect the external borders of Europe has been tested by the extraordinary movement of people fleeing violence and poverty in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The security of borders has become a top priority for many Allies, from the United…

Recent General Reports of the Political Committee have focused on the security challenges that the Alliance faces on its southern flank. Following up on the Committee’s earlier work on the issue, this draft report evaluates the nexus between the continuing instability of the Middle East and North…

For the past 70 years the Alliance has been the prime catalyst for close transatlantic policy co-operation and co-ordination – which has been pivotal in securing peace, prosperity and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.  The fact that more countries want to join the Alliance is a testament to the…

The North Atlantic Treaty’s emphasis on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law makes NATO a unique Alliance – one that is based not only on shared interests, but also on shared values. The draft general report provides an overview of how the balance between realist and…

The Republic of North Macedonia is on the cusp of accession to NATO. Following the ratification of the landmark Prespa agreement with Greece that changes the country’s legal name from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia, Athens ended its opposition to Skopje…

The Rapporteur, Senator Raynell Andreychuk (Canada) analyses Russia’s approach to the Alliance and the implications for NATO member and partner countries. The draft report identifies key areas where Russia’s actions impact the security of NATO Allies; it suggests that the Kremlin is pursuing a…

As every sphere of human society is becoming increasingly more connected, cyber threats are skyrocketing. Networks owned and operated by NATO suffer hundreds of cyber incidents every month, and intrusions into crucial networks in Allied nations are rising dramatically. As a result, NATO and the…

Ensuring the Atlantic Ocean remains Allied-friendly is essential to the trans-Atlantic Alliance: NATO’s defence and deterrence posture is predicated on Allied freedom of movement in the North Atlantic.  Russian military presence in the North Atlantic is increasing in both quantity and quality,…

INTRODUCTION: A SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED BATTLEFIELD The tragic and bloody civil war in Syria has, since its inception, exposed many of the fundamental fault lines dividing that region and threatening its stability. Those fault lines, moreover, have global implications as well, and, in some respects…

Recent NATO summits have outlined a series of initiatives designed to respond to a growing set of challenges facing the Alliance. In the East an increasingly aggressive and assertive Russia is refocusing attention on defence and deterrence at home. Terrorism and instability along the Alliance’s…

The Alliance’s nuclear posture, which relies heavily on the strategic forces of the United States and, to a lesser extent, of France and the United Kingdom, is responding to a changing international environment and will likely change more in the not too distant future. Recent Russian aggression has…

  Five years after the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine still faces tremendous challenges both in protecting its sovereignty in the face of the ongoing Russian aggression and in fulfilling its commitments towards reform. It is clear that there is frustration and disappointment among the population.…

In recent years, Allies have seen a sizeable increase in Russian submarine patrols in NATO areas of operation. As Admiral James G. Foggo III, current Commander of the US Naval Forces Europe and NATO Joint Force Command Naples, has argued, “Russian submarines are prowling the Atlantic, testing our…

Joint NATO PA / DCAF Study Democratic and civilian oversight of the security sector is now a well-established principle in democracies. The security sector refers to all structures, institutions and personnel responsible for security provision, management and oversight at the national and local…

This draft general report explores the role of sanctions in international policy-making and considers the conditions under which these tools can be effective. Economic sanctions have long assumed a significant role in the conduct of foreign and security policy, and there has been an ongoing debate…

In little over a decade, AI has moved out of the laboratories and into the consumer’s hands. AI has already begun to make big waves in military and strategic affairs too. Almost all defence experts agree that the application of AI in the armed forces could impact every sphere and degree of warfare…

The global economy is increasingly shaped by developments in digital technologies. These changes are not only affecting the high technology sector, they are restructuring almost all industries including traditional sectors like agriculture, basic manufacturing, retail markets and transportation.…

The unprecedented growth of the world economy over the last sixty years has been premised on liberal market reform and free trade. Worryingly, in recent years, there has been a backlash against free trade, and this has emerged as a common theme among populist political forces seeking to attribute…

18 April 2018 - Qatar is a small country roughly the size of Montenegro. 2.7 million people live in the country, of which only 12% are Qatari citizens. The country has the highest per capita GDP in the world and is the world’s third largest gas producer and third greatest exporter of Liquified…