From NATO: Today’s NATO cannot succeed as a provider of security and stability if it is not connected to the wider world. All of our operations now involve our partner countries and we are increasingly aware that those operations need a comprehensive approach, involving all of the major international actors, if they are to be successful…

We tend not to work out how we are going to cooperate until we have all arrived in theatre. Then we have to improvise ad hoc arrangements on the spot. I believe that it would be much easier for our NATO military authorities, when they are planning an operation, if they could have an immediate dialogue with the UN, the EU, the World Bank and other organisations.

With the aim to understand better what they are planning to do and with which means. Then we would not need to have a separate military plan which has to be tortuously integrated into a separate civilian plan at a later stage and we would save a good deal of precious time…

My final issue concerns partnerships. As partners take on more demanding and dangerous missions, they obviously seek more involvement in NATO’s planning, consultation and decision shaping. Is our political-military framework to involve partners still adequate to the task? How should we involve our partners even more? (photo: NATO)