IRIA News

Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer visited Egypt, Jordan, and Israel from September 23-28, 2023, to meet with senior political and military leaders of Middle Eastern countries and enhance defense partnerships.

Admiral Bauer began his Middle East tour by visiting Egypt from September 23 to 25, where he met with the commander-in-chief of Egypt’s Armed Forces, Minister of Defense and Military Production General Mohamed Zaki as well as other military leaders to discuss future opportunities to deepen NATO and Egypt’s military cooperation.

While in Cairo, the NATO Military Committee chief also discussed Egypt’s anti-radicalization and counter-terrorism efforts as well as border security and climate change issues.

According to the NATO statement, Admiral Bauer noted how terrorism threatens the security of populations, forces, and territory and said, “We need to continue to counter, deter, defend and respond to threats and challenges posed by terrorist groups”.

The #NATO – #Egypt partnership has come a long way since 1995, and we are ready to do more.

Together, we fight to uphold the international rules-based order and to counter the threat of terrorism.

Full details about my visit 👉🏻 https://t.co/lXZfyhwQZ8 pic.twitter.com/jk3XW8M0hm

— Admiral Rob Bauer (@CMC_NATO) September 25, 2023

“With adversaries increasingly challenging global commons and access to cyberspace, this cooperation allows us to raise our awareness and strengthen our defenses by sharing experiences and expertise,” Admiral Bauer added.

After concluding his trip to Egypt, Admiral Rob Bauer visited Jordan from September 26 to 27 and met with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, Major General Yousef Huneiti. He also held meetings with Jordan’s high-level military officials and visited the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre to deliver a lecture at the Royal Jordanian National Defence College.

The NATO Military Committee chair applauded Jordan’s contributions to NATO missions and operations and said that “Our forces have served together side by side in the Balkans, in Afghanistan, over Libya, and Jordanian troops participate in the NATO Response Force”.

According to the NATO statement, Admiral Bauer also held discussions on energy security and outlined “NATO’s commitment to ‘combatting climate change by improving energy efficiency, transitioning to clean resources and leveraging innovative next-generation clean technologies.” He added, “As we adapt our Alliance to the ongoing energy transition, NATO strives to ensure military capability, effectiveness, and interoperability.”

Admiral Bauer highlighted that “The current security environment highlights the significance of partnerships, which are crucial to protect the global commons and enhance our resilience. NATO Allies are committed to further strengthen our ties with partners that share the Alliance’s values and interest in upholding the rules-based international order. Jordan is, among them, a close friend and a highly valued Partner.”

On September 27 and 28, NATO Military Committee Chair Admiral Rob Bauer visited Israel and met with the Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Hertzl Halevi, Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog, as well as other military leaders.

While in Israel, Admiral Bauer discussed military innovation, terrorism, and emerging security challenges with Israeli leaders and said that “The ability to fight today’s wars as well as prepare for those of tomorrow is fundamental to NATO’s deterrence and defense posture. Working with our close partner Israel to counter emerging security challenges and seek out innovative military capabilities helps both of us maintain the military edge against adversaries.”

Admiral Bauer also held a meeting with Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog and noted the importance of Israel’s advanced capabilities to NATO and that the combination of having a political dialogue and working on military interoperability is a crucial component of our relationship.

According to the NATO statement, Israeli President Herzog stated that “now is the perfect time for Israel to strengthen its strategic alliance with NATO.”

Following his visit to @NATO HQ earlier this year, today President @Isaac_Herzog welcomed @CMC_NATO Military Committee Chair, Admiral Rob Bauer, in Jerusalem: “It was a pleasure to speak about ways to upgrade our important relationship with NATO”. pic.twitter.com/5xCiyXp5yo

— Office of the President of Israel (@IsraelPresident) September 28, 2023

During his briefing at Israel’s National Security College in Herzliya, Admiral Rob Bauer said, “NATO Allies share many of the concerns that Israel has. We see authoritarian regimes posing challenges to our security, both in Europe and in the Middle East. Over the last year, our cooperation has further grown… We, Israel and NATO, are better off tackling common threats and security challenges together.”