Norway - a Member since the Alliance was established

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is a defence alliance of 26 European and North American countries. Norway has been a member of the Alliance since it was established in 1949. 

Security has traditionally been seen as a state’s defence against territorial threats. Today’s security challenges, however, have a global impact, and this has had consequences both for Norway and for NATO cooperation. NATO’s mutual defence clause, under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members, rests on being able to meet threats and security challenges where they arise. 

One of Norway’s main objectives is to help NATO to carry out its security tasks in a credible and effective manner, so that it remains a relevant actor and is able to support the UN and make valuable contributions to global peace and security. It is also in Norway’s interest to deepen political consultations between the allies, as part of the effort to strengthen cooperation between Europe and the US. With this aim in mind, Norway is actively supporting efforts to make NATO’s organisational structure more efficient and effective, and to strengthen the Alliance’s operational capacity.   

Since the mid-1990s, the Alliance has increasingly become involved in crisis management. Previously, its main operation was in the Western Balkans, but in 2003 NATO took over responsibility for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, which with over 35 000 soldiers deployed is currently NATO’s largest operation. Norway made large troop contributions to operations in the Balkans, and today has a contingent of about 700 soldiers in ISAF. Norway also participates actively in the training of Iraqi forces, with the Norwegian Armed Forces running courses in Norway for Iraqi officers. Since July 2005, NATO has provided transport and organisational support for the peacekeeping operation in Darfur, which is being led by the African Union. Norway has cooperated with the United Kingdom within the NATO framework on transporting Nigerian military forces and civilian police to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) operation in Darfur. 

Norway is making active efforts within the NATO framework to draw Western Balkan countries closer into allied cooperation, and provides significant funds and expertise to assist these countries with defence and security sector reform.