Credit: nato.int /   NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg .

By Gary Raynaldo        DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

NATO Defence Ministers agreed on next steps to take in the fight against the Coronavirus at virtual meeting Wednesday of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels. “COVID-19 represents an unprecedented challenge to our nations,”  NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg  said at a press conference following the meeting.  Stoltenberg said all NATO Allies are affected by the pandemic. The NATO chief pointed out that the coronavirus must not detract from the Alliance’s other security threats and challenges.

“The bottom line is that security challenges have not diminished because of COVID-19. On the contrary. Potential adversaries will look to exploit the situation to further their own interests. Terrorist groups could be emboldened.The security situation in Afghanistan and Iraq remains fragile.”

-NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

Credit:  nato.int/  Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers’ session via tele-conference with opening remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg April 15, 2020. 

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said the coronavirus has shown that “our nations are resilient, and united. Our militaries are already playing a key role in support of national civilian efforts. And using NATO mechanisms, Allies have been helping each other to save lives.”   According  to Stoltenberg, military forces from across the Alliance have flown more than 100 missions to transport medical personnel, supplies, and treatment capabilities; Facilitated the construction of 25 field hospitals; Added more than 25,000 treatment beds; And over 4,000 military medical personnel have been deployed in support of civilian efforts.  Ministers also discussed the importance of countering increasing levels of disinformation and propaganda by state and non-state actors.  Allies are working closely together to identify, monitor and expose these lies, Stoltenberg said.