NATO Member countries

Each member nation is represented on the North Atlantic Council by an Ambassador or Permanent Representative supported by a national delegation composed of advisers and officials who represent their country on different NATO committees. The Council also meets from time to time at the level of Heads of State and Heads of Government or Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Defence.

• NATO Heads of State
• NATO Heads of Government
• NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs
• NATO Ministers of Defence
• NATO Permanent Representatives

Partner Countries

Partner countries are represented by Heads of Diplomatic Missions or Liaison Offices located at the NATO Headquarters. The Head and Staff of the Missions attend NATO committee meetings in cooperation formats and represent their countries at meetings of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), or at meetings of the NATO-Russia Council or NATO-Ukraine Commission respectively. Meetings of these bodies also take place at Ministerial or Summit level, when Partner countries are represented by their Foreign or Defence Ministers or by their Head of State or Government.

NATO International Staff

The NATO Secretary General is is the Alliance’s top international civil servant. This person is responsible for steering the process of consultation and decision-making in the Alliance and ensuring that decisions are implemented. The Secretary General is also NATO’s chief spokesperson and the head of the Organization’s International Staff.

• The current NATO Secretary General is Jens Stoltenberg
• The current NATO Deputy Secretary General is Rose Gottemoeller
• Previous NATO Secretaries General

The work of the North Atlantic Council and its committees is supported by an International Staff. It comprises the Office of the Secretary General, eight Divisions, the office of Resources and the Office of Security. Each Division is headed by an Assistant Secretary General.

• NATO Principal Officials
• The current NATO Spokesperson is Oana Lungescu

Senior Civilian & Special Representatives

• The current NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan is Ambassador Sir Nicholas Kay.
• The current NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia is James Appathurai
• The current NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security is Clare Hutchinson

Members of the Military Committee

The members of the Military Committee (Chiefs of Staff) are represented at NATO Headquarters on a permanent basis by senior officers acting as Military Representatives, each supported by a national staff varying in size. The Military Representatives constitute the Military Committee in Permanent Session.

• NATO Chiefs of Defence
• NATO Military Representatives
• The current Chairman of the Military Committee is Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach
• The current Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee is Lieutenant General Steven M. Shepro

The Military Committee is supported by an integrated International Military Staff (IMS) made up of military personnel seconded from national military establishments and supporting civilian personnel. The International Military Staff is headed by the Director General, a 3-star flag officer. Divisions of the IMS are headed by Directors.

• The current Director General of the International Military Staff is Lieutenant General Jan Broeks

NATO Strategic Commands

The NATO Strategic Commands are responsible for the development of defence plans for their respective areas, for the determination of force requirements and for the deployment and exercise of the forces under their command control.

• The current Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) is General Tod D. Wolters
• The current Deputy Supreme Allied Command, Europe (DSACEUR) is General Sir James Everard
• The current SHAPE Chief of Staff is General Markus Kneip
• The current Supreme Allied Commander, Transformation (SACT) is General André Lanata
• The current Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Transformation (DSACT) is Admiral Manfred Nielson
• The current ACT Chief of Staff is Vice Admiral P M Bennett (Paul) CB OBE
• Senior officials in the NATO military structure, from 1949 to 2001 (PDF-32Kb)