Georgia is a critical partner for the Alliance. It aspires to NATO membership, and Allies have consistently reaffirmed their commitment to Georgia’s eventual membership, – reads the Annual Report for 2018 presented by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on 14 March.

“Georgia is a critical partner for the Alliance. It aspires to NATO membership, and Allies have consistently reaffirmed their commitment to Georgia’s eventual membership. Georgia is also a significant contributor to NATO’s operations and missions.

Defence and related security capacity building for Georgia is provided through the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package. The Package is designed to strengthen Georgia’s defence capacities and therefore help Georgia prepare for eventual NATO membership.

The Substantial NATO-Georgia Package comprises 15 initiatives: the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre; the Defence Institution Building School; a logistics capability; the Special Operations Forces; intelligence; secure communications; cyber defence; acquisition; aviation; air defence; maritime security development; military police; strategic communications; counter-mobility; and crisis management.

The Package is supported by approximately 40 resident and non-resident experts from all Allies and partners Finland and Sweden. Allies and partners also provide funding for training, participation by Georgia in international exercises, and light equipment.

Six of the initiatives are on track to achieve all of their objectives in 2019. Georgia has made significant progress on aviation and air defence, in developing transparent acquisition legislation, in improving its cyber defence and logistics capabilities, and in bolstering the strategic communications capacity of the Ministry of Defence. Other initiatives, such as the Joint Training and Evaluation Centre and the Defence Institution Building School, are already offering numerous training events to military and civil students.

In 2018, Allies expressed their readiness to enhance their support to Georgia, including in the areas of counter-mobility, training and exercises, and secure communications”, – the report reads.