Transatlantic military alliance, NATO decided on Tuesday, July 4 to extend Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s contract by a further year, opting to stick with an experienced leader as war rages on in Ukraine rather than try to agree on a successor.
Stoltenberg, a former prime minister of Norway, has been the NATO leader since 2014 and his tenure had already been extended three previous times.
In a tweet, Stoltenberg, 64, said he was honoured by the decision to extend his term to October 1, 2024.
“The transatlantic bond between Europe and North America has ensured our freedom and security for nearly 75 years, and in a more dangerous world, our Alliance is more important than ever,” he said.
His next tasks include overseeing a transformation of NATO forces to refocus on defending against any Russian attack, after decades in which the alliance concentrated on missions beyond its borders, such as in Afghanistan and the Balkans.
Stoltenberg will also have to manage differences over how involved NATO should become in Asia, with the United States pushing for a greater role in countering China, while others such as France insist NATO must maintain focus on the North Atlantic area.
