Turkish diplomat among 10 experts tasked to chart out NATO’s future

ANKARA

Ambassador Tacan İldem, a senior Turkish diplomat currently serving as NATO’s assistant secretary-general for public diplomacy, has been appointed to a group of experts tasked to help the alliance chart out the future of NATO.

“Honoured, while completing my current mandate, to be nominated by NATO SG @jensstoltenberg to the Reflection Group. Look forward, together with my colleagues, to contributing to the reflection process to strengthen the political dimension of NATO,” Tacan said on Twitter.

İldem will soon hand over his job at NATO to ambassador Baiba Braže from Latvia.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltnberg announced the appointment of a group of experts on March 31 to support his work in a reflection process to further strengthen NATO’s political dimension. The group of five men and five women will be co-chaired by Thomas de Maizière and Wess Mitchell, and will report to the secretary-general.

Others appointed to the group are Greta Bossenmaier from Canada, Anja Dalgaard-Nielsen from Denmark, Hubert Védrine from France, Thomas de Maizière from Germany, Marta Dassù from Italy, Hema Verhagen from The Netherlands, Anna Fotyga from Poland, John Bew from the United Kingdom and Wess Mitchell from the United States.

At their meeting in London last year, NATO leaders agreed to a forward-looking reflection process under the auspices of the secretary-general. It will offer recommendations to reinforce Alliance unity, increase political consultation and coordination between Allies, and strengthen NATO’s political role. The composition of the group advising the secretary-general on the reflection process takes into account gender balance, relevant experience, and the geographic distribution of Allies. The group will engage with Allied capitals and the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s decision-making body, and other relevant stakeholders.

Ildem was appointed assistant secretary-general for public diplomacy in March 2016. Before assuming his current responsibilities, Ildem served as permanent representative of Turkey to the OSCE in Vienna from 2011 until 2016.