Senior Course 134 and participating faculty members from the NATO Defense College continued the European Field Study to the United Kingdom.
Member of Parliament and Minister for Defence Procurement, Stuart Andrew warmly wel-comed the NDC delegation and reminded the audience that the ‘strength of NATO is that we are able to unite around the core tasks’. He stressed the es-sence of defence procure-ment: to deliver in time, in the right quantity and quality and in a responsible manner.
Challenging times lie ahead. However, the big picture in defence and security will not change: the UK will not turn its back on Europe; the UK will continue to deliver high value assets to the common security efforts. To do so, three partnerships remain essential: across the domestic domains, in the cross-government ‘fusion doctrine’; the MoD’s own partnerships, including significant relations with the defence industry; and NATO membership. No country can meet security challenges alone and NATO has 29 Allies with inter-operable forces. Neither Russia or China have that.
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Wight-Boycott, Defence Strategy & Priorities in the Ministry of Defence, briefed on ‘The UK’s Global Outlook and Defence Poli-cy’. In contrast to the confusion around Brexit, he focused on the UK’s strong, global role as a member of the Security Council; a nuclear power and a leading, European security power backed by a strong and committed military, with a leading role in conventional and nuclear deterrence. Referring to the follow-up 2015 National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review, he stressed that the Government has now set some very clear defence priorities to overcome what has been defined as a ‘capacity holiday’ and, therefore, initiated some considerable defence capability building programmes. Added to this, the effects and costs of the NATO Readiness Initiative must be taken into account in defence planning. The speaker mentioned the UK’s work on the ‘Joint Force 25’, with maritime, land and air power able to operate globally and plug-and-play capabilities with other European militaries.
Deputy Head of the Security Policy Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Mr Adam Sambrook briefed on the ‘FCO’s Place in the World’, outlining the ways in which the FCO supports the UK’s active foreign policy to protect the British people, project the UK’s influence globally, and promote prosperity in the UK. He referred to the Strategic Defence and Security Re-view 2015 and the full spectrum approach that led to the present ‘fusion doc-trine’ in support of collective Cabinet decisions, strategy making and implementation.
Head of Joint MoD/FCO Unit on Euro Atlantic Security Policy (EASP), Mr Daniel Drake, briefed on ‘NATO & EU Common Security & Defence Policy’. He started by outlining what NATO must deliver in a contemporary context: collective security and deterrence; a shared understanding of the growing security threats, including China and terrorism; effective decision making and action; burden sharing to develop and deploy capabilities; flexibility; and a broader contribution to a stable international order. He reiterated the outcomes of the Wales, Warsaw and Brussels Summits: the Defence Investment Pledge and the Readiness Action Plan, NATO adaption and modernization initiatives to respond to a resurgent Russia and the more than 100 decisions taken in Brussels.
Turning to European security and defence, Mr Drake stressed that the EU adds value through a wide range of diplomatic, judiciary, police, legal and financial tools and stated that ‘Europe’s security is the UK’s security’, explaining why the UK contributes significantly to the CSDP. Post-Brexit, a framework participation agreement will be needed to allow the UK to continue contributing. Further, post-Brexit, the EU must develop a clear vision on how to defend Europe’s security interests; a vision that would also help NATO. NATO-EU cooperation, as recently outlined in the 74 lines of operation, must be complementary within a ‘single set of assets’ concept that can only be sustained if some inclusive, third party arrangements with the European Defence Agency and the PESCO capacity building mechanism are made.
Defence & Security Policy Manager, Mr Andrew Pearson briefed on the Department for International Development’s (DFID) ‘Role in building stability and the national interest’. He described the activities of UKAid, nominally 0.7 % of GDP, to address extreme poverty; Africa being a key concern. Demonstrating the British ‘fusion doctrine’ in practical terms, he gave examples of how UKAid works with the MOD from a policy & strategy level, in humanitarian response opera-tions and in training and education.
Head of the Gender Equality Unit at the FCO and Head of Office of the Prime Minis-ter’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms Rosy Cave, briefed on ‘integration of gender perspectives’, including ‘Women, Peace & Security’ and ‘Protection of Victims of Sexual Violence and Intimidation' (PSVI). She mentioned the seven strategic UK National Action plans (NAP) and described how the UK supports other countries in acquiring their own NAP. She continued by explaining the UK’s efforts in ‘Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict'. Finally, she stressed NATO’s efforts related to gender, including the present and future work by the NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, and Gender, Ms Claire Hutchinson, to make sure that gender issues are fully integrated into NATO’s affairs.
MP and Chair of the House of Commons Defence Committee, the Rt Hon Dr Julian Lewis, and Vice-Chair the Rt Hon John Spellar, MP introduced the afternoon programme and took time for Q/A.
Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Gavin Williamson MP, gave the closing re-marks and made himself available for Q/A.
The NATO Defense College greatly appreciated the warm welcome, the comprehensive and high-level inter-ministerial briefings and the in-depth answers given during the ques-tion and answer sessions. SC 134 and Faculty members were left in no doubt about the important role that the UK plays, and will continue to play, in European security.
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