NATO bids farewell to Rose Gottemoeller, welcomes new Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the ambassadors of the North Atlantic Council bid a fond farewell to Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller on Wednesday (16 October 2019). Ms. Gottemoeller took office in October 2016, after nearly five years as the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. She was the first woman in NATO’s seventy-year history to hold the post of Deputy Secretary General.
Over the past three years, Ms. Gottemoeller helped guide the Alliance’s policy on Russia, drawing on her deep knowledge of Moscow and of arms control. At NATO, Ms. Gottemoeller also managed the transition to the Alliance’s new headquarters – one of Europe’s largest architectural projects in years – and coordinated NATO's efforts in the fight against terrorism.
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised his outgoing deputy, saying: “Rose Gottemoeller has been a pillar of strength over the past three years. An expert in arms control and disarmament, she has played a key role in strengthening NATO’s defence and deterrence, modernizing our alliance, and raising the profile of women in peace and security. We will all miss her.”
Romanian diplomat Mircea Geoană will officially take up his post as NATO’s Deputy Secretary General on 17 October 2019. He will be the first Deputy Secretary General from Central and Eastern Europe. Mr. Geoană most recently served as the President of the Aspen Institute Romania. He was also previously President of the Romanian Senate, Foreign Minister, and Romania’s Ambassador to the United States.