One of his first priorities was the publication of a new Strategic Concept for the Alliance. He was hands-on when it came to the drafting of the document, stating that it should adopt the spirit of the treaty, i.e., be understood by an Oklahoma milkman. The novelty however lay in the process: he insisted on adopting an inclusive process where experts and the interested public started the thinking process before Allies were consulted and a final agreement reached. The aim was to build understanding and support across numerous constituencies and stakeholders. His general attitude towards NATO affairs was similar: he reinstated for instance the production of annual reports, with the difference that these reports were made available to the wider public – an opportunity to show the relevance of NATO and the scope and volume of its activities.
Fogh Rasmussen was the first Secretary General to use social media as a way to reach external audiences. His Facebook and Twitter accounts provided both NATO updates and personal ones such as his passion for running. When he was still Prime Minister, Denmark offered an additional TV and video capability to NATO and so what has become NATOChannel was born in 2008. He also established “The Secretary General’s blog” in video format on the NATO web site, where he gave his view on NATO matters and international security on a weekly basis.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen was the first Secretary General to use the media to strategically advance his political agenda and to inspire the thinking and decision making within the North Atlantic Council. He also gave high priority to international media and every Monday reserved a few hours for interviews in his office.