NATO and the United Nations continue to strengthen their long-standing cooperation. On 27 August 2024, representatives from both organisations met at the UN Regional Service Centre in Entebbe to mark the successful completion of two joint capacity-building initiatives related to information and communications technology.

Since September 2022, the NATO Communications and Information Academy has supported the expansion of the UN Academy for Peace Operations course curriculum on Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4), as well as Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. The NCIA Academy also contributed to upgrades to UN classroom equipment including the delivery of a Virtual Instructor-Led Training facility. 

“At UN request, NATO and UN staffs will continue to explore ways to expand our practical cooperation; our discussions have rightly emphasized a key guiding principle – developing UN sustainability; we are shaping a future where our cooperation and partnership will continue to flourish, benefiting all those who seek peace and security in the world,” said Defence and Security Cooperation Director of NATO’s Operations Division, Piers Cazalet. The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Partnerships Directorate at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Rear Admiral Gunnstein Bruåsdal, added: “The UN-NATO partnership has brought improvements, efficiency and productivity to the training and performance of UN peacekeeping personnel.” 

NATO’s Defence Capacity Building package for UN Peacekeeping Training includes four lines of cooperation, aimed at helping the UN strengthen its ability to provide training for peacekeepers and improve their performance. These include efforts related to Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices, Military Performance Evaluation, Military Medicine, Signals/Information and Communications Technology. Through the NATO-UN partnership, NATO also aims to foster greater security and stability in its Southern Neighbourhood, which is vital for international peace and security.