Secretary General of NATO
The secretary general of NATO is the chief civil servant of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The officeholder is an international diplomat responsible for coordinating the workings of the alliance, leading NATO's international staff, chairing the meetings of the North Atlantic Council and most major committees of the alliance, with the notable exception of the NATO Military Committee, as well as acting as NATO's spokesperson. The secretary general does not have a military command role; political, military and strategic decisions ultimately rest with the member states. Together with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee and the supreme allied commander, the officeholder is one of the foremost officials of NATO.
| Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization | |
|---|---|
| Secrétaire général de l'OTAN (French) | |
Logo of NATO | |
| North Atlantic Treaty Organization | |
| Type | |
| Member of | North Atlantic Council |
| Seat | NATO headquarters |
| Appointer | Member states |
| Term length | Four years, renewable |
| Formation | 24 March 1952 |
| First holder | Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay |
| Deputy | Deputy Secretary General |
| Website | Office of the Secretary General |
The current secretary general is former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who took office on 1 October 2014. Stoltenberg's mission as secretary general was extended for another four-year term, meaning that he was to lead NATO until September 30, 2022. However, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, his term was extended further by another year.