The southern flank faces a number of threats, including the rise and re-emergence of Daesh

NATO approves plan for cooperation against Sahel terrorism

The second day of the NATO Summit has concluded, a Summit that has already been described as "historic" both for the context in which it was held and for the progress made following the publication of the new Strategic Concept. 

Today's meeting was devoted to the southern flank at a time when the threats from the rise of terrorism in the Sahel continue to grow. At a press conference with journalists, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg first emphasised that all NATO members are committed to Ukraine. Similarly, and addressing the issue of security in the Middle East and North Africa, the rise of terrorism in the region was discussed "as one of the greatest threats to security" and a joint fight against terrorism "in all its forms" was agreed.  

stoltenberg con pedro sanchez

The return of Daesh as the main threat  

Stoltenberg warned of the return of Daesh and how it is one of the most important threats to all countries. He also announced military cooperation with Mauritania with the aim of curbing its rapprochement with Russia and as a strategic country to curb jihadism, something that was already announced on the first day of the summit. He also stated that the member countries had unanimously agreed on "additional security capabilities" for this purpose. 

One of the most important jihadist threats is precisely in the Sahel. With the withdrawal of Western troops, such as France in Mali, these countries have experienced a security vacuum that extremist groups have been able to fill. The growth of jihadism in the region is compounded by a problem that often goes unnoticed: mafias and traffickers. 

These criminal organisations do not only target arms and drug trafficking. People continue to suffer from the interests of these mafias, which are further exacerbated by insecurity and the few alternatives for survival in their countries of origin, which are often the scene of bloody armed conflicts.  

Referring to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, Stoltenberg stressed that "NATO will protect all Allies from any threat. There is no doubt about that (...) our commitment is strong and clear". 

stoltenberg en la cumbre de la otan

Strategic Concept developments  

The adoption of the new Strategic Concept has brought with it new measures that have implications for all member states. These include the lifting of the Turkish veto, finally allowing Finland and Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty. In addition, China has entered the Concept for the first time as a "threat" that challenges "our interests, security and values" in the West, which is noteworthy as evidence of a shift in NATO's strategy towards Asia as it seeks to defend Western democracies and values.  

Another notable issue is the way in which NATO members have referred to Russia as one of the most important threats to international security as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, thus moving away from its status as a "strategic partner", which was stipulated in the previous Strategic Concept document at the time. They accuse Moscow of having overstepped 'all boundaries' and stress that 'the Euro-Atlantic area is not at peace'. For this very reason, Stoltenberg reiterated the importance of collective defence as a key point in ensuring international order and security. 

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, took the same position during his meeting with the King of Spain, Felipe VI, after declaring that "we are prepared to confront threats of aggression because frankly there is no other option". 

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