2012: NATO's year in pictures

NATO marks the 60th anniversary of the accession of Greece and Turkey to the Alliance, on 18 February.

On 19 March, NATO Allies agree to extend the Alliance’s counter piracy naval operation off the Horn of Africa, Ocean Shield, until the end of 2014. Operation Ocean Shield contributes to providing maritime security in the region and is helping to reduce the overall pirate attack success rate – this year, only 7 successful pirate attacks had been recorded in the region by end November, down from a total of 42 in 2010.

A Mongolian soldier trains an Afghan counterpart.

Mongolia – which has contributed troops to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan since 2010 – agreed an Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme to formalize and further develop relations with NATO on 19 March.

A tribute is paid to the troops of NATO member and partner countries at a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, on 19 May, on the eve of the NATO Summit.

General John R. Allen, Commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistant Force in Afghanistan, salutes during the US national anthem.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen greets UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at a meeting on Afghanistan, during the NATO Summit in Chicago, on 21 May.

At the meeting, the 50 nations that make up the ISAF coalition were joined by Afghan President Karzai, leaders from Russia, Japan, Pakistan and the Central Asian states as well as key international community partners.

US soldier trains member of the Afghan National Army.

At the Chicago Summit, agreement was reached on a post-2014 NATO-led mission, which will train, advise and assist Afghan security forces, after they have assumed full security responsibility across Afghanistan and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force has completed its mission.

Alliance leaders meeting in Chicago declared their determination to ensure that NATO retains and develops the capabilities necessary to perform its essential core tasks through 2020 and beyond.

Important elements of the drive to improve capabilities are Smart Defence, which is aimed at pooling and sharing capabilities, setting priorities and coordinating efforts better, and the Connected Forces Initiative for expanding education and training of personnel.

At the end of May, two anniversaries mark milestones in NATO-Russia relations: fifteen years ago, on 27 May 1997, the NATO-Russia Founding Act was signed and ten years ago, on 28 May 2002, the creation of the NATO-Russia Council provided a forum for the Allies and Russia to meet as equals and cooperate on issues of common interest.

In 2012, practical cooperation on Afghanistan deepened under the NRC, notably in the areas of counternarcotics training for Afghan and Central Asian personnel, training for Afghan helicopter-maintenance staff, and arrangements for transit through Russian territory of non-lethal cargo for the International Security Assistance Force.

A New Zealand soldier talks to Afghan schoolgirls.

An active participant in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, New Zealand agreed an Individual Partnership Cooperation Programme with NATO, on 4 June, formalizing ties after almost two decades of deepening cooperation.

Mari Skåre was appointed the NATO Secretary General’s first Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, on 27 August. 

NATO is committed to supporting the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which calls for full and equal participation of women at all levels in issues ranging from early conflict prevention to post-conflict reconstruction, peace and security.

A Korean soldier, deployed as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, speaks to a local resident in Bahshekel, Parwan province. (US Army photo)

On 20 September 2012, NATO and the Republic of Korea signed a new partnership programme that sets the framework for further cooperation and political dialogue.

Ambassador Maurits R. Jochems (centre) took up his post as NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan in October 2012. His responsibilities are to carry forward the Alliance's political-military objectives in Afghanistan and to liaise with the Afghan government, civil society, representatives of the international community and neighbouring countries.