NATO
With its headquarters in Brussels and its military command (SHAPE) in Mons, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) occupies a unique place in our national landscape. This Alliance, of which Belgium is one of the founding members, came into being in the aftermath of the Second World War. In today's world, the need to provide mutual protection against any act of aggression ('an attack against one of its members shall be considered an attack against them all') is a fundamental concern. Besides this collective defensive aspect, NATO establishes a permanent transatlantic link between the security of North America and that of Europe.
The end of the Cold War marked the first change in this territorial defence approach. Dialogue and co-operation with non-NATO countries were reinforced in order to make the whole of Europe a region of peace and security. This transformation has been accentuated further in recent years in order to respond to new challenges (e.g. the fight against terrorism), giving the organisation the new task of adapting its military capabilities.
In recent years, within the framework of a modernised strategic concept that takes into account the new risks and the instability on the doorstep of the Euro-Atlantic zone directly affecting its security, NATO has engaged in various operations outside its borders, such as Kosovo (KFOR), Afghanistan (International Security Assistance Force - ISAF), Iraq (training of local security forces only), Sudan-Darfur (logistical support to the African Union), or the operation Active Endeavour (surveillance and anti-terrorist missions by NATO vessels in the Mediterranean).
