The cooperation of NATO allies will be ever more crucial in this new environment

The participants in one of the final debates at the GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum 2021 reflected on the recent NATO Summit in Brussels.

A screenshot from the Globsec 2021 discussion about NATO.A screenshot from the Globsec 2021 discussion about NATO. (Source: Globsec)

Not only the pandemic but also other factors contribute to the changing world.

Great power competition between the West, China, and Russia is intensifying while new threats emerge. In such an environment, the cooperation of NATO allies will be ever more crucial, participants in one of the final panel discussions held at the GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum 2021 on June 17 agreed.

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They reflected on the recent NATO Summit in Brussels that reassured of the standing NATO values and of the commitment of the Allies, Slovak Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď (OĽaNO) said.

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“The increasingly unpredictable security environment creates challenges that cannot be faced separately,” Naď said at the debate, as quoted by the TASR newswire, adding it is everyone's task to strengthen the common resilience and readiness to protect the collective safety of our people.

He also stressed that Slovakia is ready to continue fulfilling its commitments within NATO, including those related to international crisis management.

Innovations important

The participants in the panel discussion also pondered military capability and the capacity to act, as well as cybersecurity and the situation in the world. Another important topic was innovations and talents.

As NATO introduces its first Innovation Accelerator, Canada can provide valuable experience with public-private sector cooperation on the development of technologies. Minister of National Defence of Canada Harjit Singh Sajjan, who attended the debate via a video call, stressed talent is central.

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NATO and nation-states should utilise the quality and diversity of talent they have available. They should equally think about efficient and effective procurement for all their activities.

Nevertheless, the western international community also faces the threat of erosion of public trust in both national and international institutions. NATO, the UN, nation-states, and civil society all play a crucial role in strengthening the confidence of the people they represent and protect, the participants said.

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