NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

The Secretary General’s Annual Report 2011

A short account of NATO’s achievements and challenges in 2011

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People & Activities

NATO Bazaar raises record funds for charities 23 Jan. 2012 The NATO Charity Bazaar donated €188,000 to support Belgian and international charities on 23 January, at a ceremony attended by the Deputy Secretary General Claudio Bisogniero and Mrs Anne-Mette Rasmussen. 
NATO achieves important milestone in reform of its Agencies 23 Jan. 2012 Two recent high-level appointments mark an important milestone in the reform of NATO’s Agencies. A phased approach to reducing the number of Agencies and streamlining their management was launched by Allied defence ministers in June 2010, aimed at establishing a new structure by July 2012. 
Role of NATO's partnerships discussed at annual symposium 17 Jan. 2012 - 19 Jan. 2012 Some 200 representatives of over 60 nations – including 25 Allies and partners from as far afield as Afghanistan, Japan and Saudi Arabia – attended the 15th annual symposium on NATO’s partnerships at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany, from 17 to 19 January. 
Afghan students win scholarships to study in Turkey 11 Jan. 2012 “How did I get here? Well, I’m going to tell you a story,” says Abdul Qahar Bakhshi, a 24-year-old Afghan student studying his undergraduate degree in Izmir City on a scholarship from the Turkish government. “Living in Turkey is very interesting,” he says, “but moving here, sitting exams and learning Turkish were some of the most stressful days of my life.” 
Afghan actors risk their lives to entertain fans 09 Jan. 2012 A crack team of Afghan police hunt down a suicide bomber in the heart of Kabul just in time before he can detonate his explosives. With their clinging black suits, modified rifles and slim-line headsets, they could be straight out of a Hollywood action movie. 
Afghan Army General optimistic about the future 17 Dec. 2011 From 14 to 16 December 2011, a delegation of high ranking Afghan Military Officers, led by General Sher Mohammed Karimi (Chief of General Staff of Afghanistan) visited NATO HQ and SHAPE. General Karimi was accompanied by four commanders from the Afghan National Army Training and Education commands. This visit took place under the auspices of the NATO - Afghanistan Enduring Partnership. 
Volunteers help Afghan families keep warm in winter (and you can help too!) 13 Dec. 2011 KABUL, Afghanistan – Poverty in Afghanistan is more common than running water or electricity. Thousands of Afghans live in austere conditions, surviving day-to-day with limited resources. The Afghan government estimates that 42% of the country’s population lives in poverty. The winters are especially harsh. It is common for families in refugee camps to burn trash and old tires for heat.  
Simorgh film company offers training and career opportunities to young Afghans 29 Nov. 2011 An Afghan girl busily draws pictures after school, lying on the floor of her living room, surrounded by pencils with the television burbling in the background. 
NATO helps Belarus and Ukraine cope with flood risks 29 Nov. 2011 The Pripyat River Basin on the border between Belarus and Ukraine is prone to severe flooding, impacting local communities and economies. The basin includes the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and one of the river’s tributaries provides a local nuclear power station with cooling water, so effective monitoring is essential.  

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NATO Review

2012 security predictions 23 Jan. 2012 Who last January could have predicted that three dictators who had all ruled their countries for over 20 years would be thrown out by their people in a matter of months? Who could have foreseen a rogue nuclear state falling under the control of a young man in his mid-20s? The answer is nobody. But in this edition, we ask experts to shine a light on what they think could be waiting in 2012.  
e-Power to rise up the security agenda 23 Jan. 2012 Joseph Nye outlines how the cyberworld has created changes in power: e-Power. And it is a world where everyone is seemingly equal - but some are more equal than others. Here he outlines how this could develop in 2012. 
Climate, disease and food - a lot still to do 23 Jan. 2012 In 2012, the issue that we make the least progress on – but lament at length about – will remain global warming. Campaigners will continue to use doomsday language to try to hustle for faster action. Climate change negotiators will continue to dress up their failures as victories. 
2012: welcome to the gridlocked world 23 Jan. 2012 This year is in many ways "back to the future" for NATO. As during the Cold War, the Alliance’s greatest challenges in 2012 will come not from the risk of attack but from the extent and consequences of shifts in the nature of global power. 
Crime, computers and security in 2012 23 Jan. 2012 What's going to happen in 2012? Some things are easy to see: we'll see more attacks by criminals. We'll see more attacks by hactivists (like the infamous Anonymous group). But most importantly, we'll see that many of the future real-world crisis will have a cyber element in them as well. Certainly, any future war between technically developed nations is likely to incorporate computer attacks.  
2011 in pictures 23 Jan. 2012 We don't know what 2012 will bring. But we do know that 2011 was one of the most eventful years this century. In this photostory, we show some of the main changes the world saw over the past 12 months and what they meant for security. 
Mladic, Srebrenica and justice 19 Dec. 2011 In November 1995, Ratko Mladic was indicted for the genocide in Srebenica. He had overseen operations just four months earlier which had led to the deaths of around 8,000 men and boys. In announcing the indictment, the judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia added that Srebrenica saw 'scenes from hell, written on the darkest pages of human history". Today, Mladic faces justice in the same building where those words were uttered. NATO Review asks what difference this will make to the victims' families and the region. And whether this marks a milestone in the history of the Western Balkans. 
Mladic, justice and 2011: view from Croatia 19 Dec. 2011 2011 marked a major year for Croatia. NATO Review speaks to its President on the day that it confirmed its entry into the European Union and asks whether 2011 is the year when there is more to discuss on the Western Balkans' future than to mull over its past. 
Mladic, justice and 2011: view from Serbia 19 Dec. 2011 For Serbia, 2011 has marked the year when it met its last obligations to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Its path to the EU can now run much more smoothly. But as Serbian politicians point out, the country is now more focused on getting back to its former role of regional powerhouse in the Balkans.  
View from the region 19 Dec. 2011 How do the countries of the former Yugoslavia see the events of 2011, including the arrest of General Ratko Mladic? NATO Review interviews key players from the region to find out. 
Mladic, Srebrenica and justice 06 Dec. 2011 With the trial of Ratko Mladic for genocide taking place in the Hague, NATO Review looks at the events in Srebrenica in July 1995, talks to survivors and asks whether Mladic's arrest finally means the region can look forward, not backwards. 
Karadzic: from Sarajevo to the Hague (Aug 2008) 06 Dec. 2011 NATO Review analyses why Karadzic was arrested, the impact on Bosnia and how his trial could affect the country's future. 
Bosnia, a new model army? (Aug 2008) 06 Dec. 2011 Bosnia's armed forces are now seen as genuine security providers - and far from a security threat. How did this happen? 
NATO's relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina - part I: Building peace (Dec 2010) 06 Dec. 2011 BUILDING PEACE tells of NATO's gradual engagement in support of United Nations' efforts to end the Bosnian War (1992-1995) and the deployment of its first peacekeeping force in December 1995. NATO's mission continued for nine years until responsibility for security was handed over to the European Union in December 2004. 
NATO's relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina - part II: Reforming the military (Dec 2010) 06 Dec. 2011 REFORMING THE MILITARY shows how NATO's support for essential defence reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina has helped downsize the armed forces and turn them into a single military force under state-level control. Progress made allowed the country to join NATO's Partnership for Peace in 2006. 
NATO's relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina - part III: The road to integration (Dec 2010) 06 Dec. 2011 THE ROAD TO INTEGRATION highlights the country's deepening partnership with NATO and provides an insight into the challenges ahead on the road to the country's possible membership of the Alliance. 
Afghanistan 2011 versus Afghanistan 2001: the same country? 14 Nov. 2011 Afghanistan. A country that suffers from a murderous group of religious fanatics. From endemic poverty. And from lack of infrastructure or development. But is this description of 2001 Afghanistan still apt for 2011 Afghanistan? 
2014: New Afghanistan's year zero? 14 Nov. 2011 2014 promises to be one of the most important years for Afghanistan in decades. As the country prepares to take the full lead for its own security following the draw down of international forces, NATO Review asks three experts about how pivotal they see the year. 
Where now for Afghanistan? Interview with Ahmed Rashid 19 Oct. 2011 Pakistani journalist and best-selling author, Ahmed Rashid, shares his views on the Afghan economy, corruption, the perceptions of Afghans on the year 2014, and the way ahead. 
Was it worth investing in Afghanistan? 31 Oct. 2011 Can we compare an Afghanistan of beheadings and torture to today’s? Mr. Shafiq Hamdam looks at the Afghanistan he has seen. He concedes it’s not yet perfect. But concludes that it’s come a long way. 
Afghanistan: 10 years of missed opportunities? 31 Oct. 2011 Nelofer Pazira has seen the many faces of Afghanistan. And while there has been progress, she feels that the country has yet to escape its cycle of suffering. Here she charts her experiences and impressions, from living there in the turbulent 1980s to visiting today’s Afghanistan. 
Afghanistan: what’s gone right, what’s gone wrong 31 Oct. 2011 When the Taliban was ousted in 2001, there were seeds of hope across the country. The people of Afghanistan, weary from their dark past, embarked on a bright venture of nation and state building. They hoped for prosperity, freedom, and peace. The presence, cooperation and support from the international community galvanised this hope. Looking back, I could see a mix of both extraordinary progress and bitter failure. 
Double vision - an Afghan-American view 19 Oct. 2011 Imagine being an Afghan-American in September and October 2001. Both your countries were attacked. One by the other. How did Afghan-Americans react? Where were their allegiances? And what could they do to help both countries? We asked an Afghan-American how he dealt with this dilemma. 
My journey, my country 19 Oct. 2011 First, I fled Taliban brutality. Then I spent time in refugee camps in Iran and Pakistan. Finally, I found myself working in Dubai. I heard one evening BBC Radio announcing the assassination of the Northern Alliance commander Ahmad Shah Massoud by two Arabs. Two days later, I was watching CNN when I saw a plane crash into the World Trade Center. I thought it was a movie. But then I switched over to Al Jazeera and the BBC. I realised it was real. 
Afghanistan's story in pictures 19 Oct. 2011 Afghanistan is a photojournalist's paradise. The light and colours make for great photos. The people make for engaging subjects. And the country's stories make for a gripping tale. Here, we publish some of the most striking images. 
Teaming, Transparency, and Transition in Afghanistan 19 Oct. 2011 Trainers play the central role in transition to Afghans leading Afghan security. Lieutenant General William Caldwell was the first man to head up the training mission designed to give Afghan trainers the skills they need. As he prepares to leave his post, he gives an assessment of what's been achieved - and what remains to be done. 
10 years later: lessons learnt 08 Sep. 2011 The ten years since the 9/11 attacks have thrown up new and challenging security risks. How well have we kept up with them? Has NATO changed enough? In this edition, we look at what the security world has learnt since that historic day. 
BBC Interview of Baroness Manningham-Buller 07 Oct. 2011 Baroness Manningham-Buller was the Director of the UK's MI5 security service from 2002 to 2007. She was already a counter-terrorism expert by the time of the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and went on to rise up through the organisation. Earlier this year, she gave a series of lectures to the BBC.  
Being NATO's Secretary General on 9/11 08 Sep. 2011 Being NATO Secretary General is always a job fraught with challenges and surprises. But on 11 September, 2001, Lord Robertson had one of the most extraordinary experiences of any NATO Secretary General. Here, he recounts how the day panned out. 
NATO ten years after: learning the lessons 08 Sep. 2011 In retrospect, instead of heralding NATO's decline, "09/11" became the catalyst for the most fundamental changes in NATO's history, argues Michael Ruhle. Yet for the NATO Allies, the questions they had to ponder from the outset were as obvious as they were profound. 
Images of terror: threats' changing faces 08 Sep. 2011 A picture is worth a thousand words - and these pictures may be more. In this photostory, we outline some of the most striking images of the threats that came on, and since, 9/11. 
NATO after 9/11: a US perspective 08 Sep. 2011 For a truly modern approach to bringing NATO up to speed on 21st century security threats, the Alliance needs smart spending, more commitment and clearer planning, argues Dr Jacquelyn Davis. 
New threats: the cyber-dimension 08 Sep. 2011 September 11th, 2001 has often been called the day that changed everything. This might not be true for our day to day life, but in security, it really marked a new era. Together with the Twin Towers, our traditional perceptions of threats collapsed. The Cold War scenario that had dominated for over 50 years was radically and irrevocably altered. 
NATO-Russia relations: 20 years after the USSR 01 Aug. 2011 NATO and Russia cooperate on Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, search and rescue and a host of other areas. So where's the problem? In this edition, we look from both angles at what's gone right - and not so right - in the NATO-Russia relationship. And how this may soon have to change. 
NATO and Russia today: interview with Dmitri Trenin 01 Aug. 2011 Dmitri Trenin, Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, looks at where the NATO-Russia relations are today 
Taking the temperature: what the Russian experts think 30 Jun. 2011 How do Russian experts see NATO's evolving relationship with NATO in areas such as missile defence, Afghanistan and other security issues? Here, we present the results of a survey of Russian experts by the independent Atlantic Initiative. 
NATO and Russia: doomed to disappointment? 11 Jul. 2011 James Sherr of Chatham House argues that different understanding on either side of the NATO-Russia relationship keep leading to unwanted outcomes. And until each side accepts the other's understanding of what security means, he believes this will be a recurrent theme. 
Russia and NATO: time to abandon illusions 30 Jun. 2011 Today is the moment for Russia and NATO to end seeing each other through the Cold War prism, argues Fyodor Lukyanov. Twenty first century challenges requires both sides to challenge of their 20th century hangovers. 
One step forward... 30 Jun. 2011 Konstatin Eggert was the Editor in Chief of BBC's Moscow office for over 10 years. Here, he argues that the relationship between Russia and NATO will forever be defined by encouraging steps forward hampered by regular setbacks. But soon, other regional factors may become even more important. 
How NATO is perceived in Russia (or lessons in optimism) 30 Jun. 2011 Robert Pszczel is NATO's face in Russia. The head of NATO's Moscow office, he now both talks about - and listens to opinions on - NATO's evolving partnership with Russia. Here he explains some of the feedback - and why it's positive to be an optimist. 
Small arms: the real weapons of mass destruction? 03 Jun. 2011 NATO's Chuck Parker saw the impact of light weapons first hand when serving in Vietnam. Today, he is one of the people trying to prevent the same misuse and mishandling of the weapons that continues today. 
Dangerous stockpiles: unplanned explosions' high costs 03 Jun. 2011 Since 2009, there have been more than 50 recorded incidents of unplanned explosions at munitions depots in 34 countries. This is not a case of bad luck argue Eric Berman, Pilar Reina and Pierre Gobinet. 
Limit arms exports to reduce violence against women 03 Jun. 2011 The availability of small arms increases sexual violence against women. Therefore, gender based violence needs to be central to international discussions on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and states must act to end impunity for armed violence against women. 
How to keep ammunition out of the hands of terrorists 03 Jun. 2011 Gillian Goh and Christopher Clark of the UN explain how new international guidelines could help put small arms and ammunitions further from the reach of terror groups, prevent fraud and reduce accidents 
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