Remarks

Thank you for that very kind introduction.

Your Royal Highnesses.

Prime Minister Bettel.

Ladies and gentlemen.

I am delighted to join you to celebrate two very important milestones for the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.

Your 60^th anniversary since you were founded.

And your 50^th anniversary since you were established in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

I know NSPA is dedicated to efficiency. 

So I want to commend you on your impressive efficiency.

In celebrating both of these noteworthy anniversaries at the same time.

Two anniversaries for the price of one! 

That’s very good advance planning.

On behalf of the entire NATO family, I want to express our deep gratitude to Luxembourg.

For your strong support for NSPA over the past five decades.

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The efficiency and dedication of this Agency has been instrumental over the years.

In helping NATO adapt to changing security challenges.

NATO is the most successful alliance in history.

Because we have been able to adapt as the world has changed.

And this agency has supported and spurred NATO’s adaptation since your founding in 1958.

And you have adapted at the same time.

You started out with just twelve staff members.

Today, NSPA employs around 1,400 dedicated staff.

Your wide range of services and logistics support truly is impressive.

Your top priority is to support NATO operations and missions.

You acquire, operate, and maintain everything from complete weapon systems.

To global fuel and port services for our navies.

And airfield logistics, and base support services.

Including food and munitions for our troops stationed in many distant locations.

You also support the acquisition of major new capabilities.

Including a new multinational air-to-air refueling fleet and strategic ammunitions acquisition.

The development of the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control, the successor capability to our AWACS planes.

And in the near future, management of the new Alliance Ground Surveillance Drones, which will provide our commanders with an “eye in the sky.”

You have also been closely engaged in supporting our four battlegroups in the Baltic countries and Poland.

Therefore playing a central role in our strengthened defence and deterrence posture. 

And you also play a central role in supporting our partner countries like Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Running trust funds and providing technical experts.

So your business activity has grown nearly fivefold in the last decade. 

Your turnover is now an impressive 4.8 BEUR.

You also understand the importance of working with others. 

You are helping NATO build closer relations with the European Union.

One example is the European/NATO Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet programme for a group of nations.

And, as you start your second half-century here in Luxembourg, you will continue to play an invaluable role in shaping NATO’s future.

At the NATO Summit next month in Brussels, we will make key decisions for NATO’s adaptation in the years ahead.

And you will have a direct role in helping us turn Summit decisions into concrete actions.

Including a Readiness Initiative and the reform of our command structure.

To ensure we have the right forces at the right place at the right time.

Your support is crucial in improving logistics, mobility and readiness across the Alliance. 

So I am proud to be here to celebrate your special anniversaries today. 

To pay tribute to the professionalism and dedication of all NSPA staff.

And to thank you for all that you do to support our vital mission:

To preserve the peace.

And defend the safety and security of our nearly one billion citizens.