Stoltenberg extends mandate at NATO helm for another year

Under that decision, which was taken at the North Atlantic Council meeting held in Brussels on 4 July, Stoltenberg will remain at the helm of the alliance until 1 October 2024.

With that decision, speculation about the possible selection of Stoltenberg's descendants at the helm of NATO ended.

Stoltenberg has thanked member states for their trust.

“I am honoured by the NATO Allies' decision to continue my mandate as secretary general. The transatlantic connection between Europe and North America has secured our freedom and security for almost 75 years and in a far more dangerous world, this alliance is more important than ever before”, he said.

There has been efforts that until the NATO summit, which will be held at Vilnius on 11 July and 12 July, reconciliation between allies for the new secretary-general has been reached. But, given the global situation and the challenges facing Euro-Atlantic space, it has been decided that Stoltenberg will continue his term for another year.

The decision to appoint the NATO chief deals with consensus of 31 member states.

This is the fourth time he extends his mandate to Stoltenberg, and in 2024 it will be ten years since he will be in charge of the alliance.

Earlier this year, Stoltenberg said he was not interested in remaining in the post of secretary general after the last term expired. He had only been appointed president of Norway's Central Bank.

But, he has now accepted the decision of NATO states and will remain at the helm of the alliance until October of next year. Allies have thanked Stoltenberg for his leadership for the commitment shown to maintaining transatlantic unity at the time when the world is facing one of the most unprecedented security challenges, as Russia last February began the invasion of Ukraine.

The North Atlantic Council's decision will also confirm the leaders of member states at their summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. / REL