NATO’s Military Intelligence Community meets in Tirana

Published: Friday, 31 May 2019 13:42

On 22-23 May 2019, the NATO Military Intelligence Committee (MIC) held one of two annual meetings in Tirana, Albania, hosted by Defence Intelligence and Security Agency (DISA). The meeting was co-chaired by Colonel Bardhyl Nuredinaj, General Director of the DISA and Mr. Freytag von Loringhoven, NATO’s first Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security, and the head of the Joint Intelligence and Security Division.

NATO member countries and key actors responsible for Intelligence met to discuss major Intelligence issues. Participants in this meeting were leaders of military intelligence agencies and services of NATO member states, heads of NATO military intelligence structures, leaders of operational staffs, and heads of military intelligence services of non-NATO member states, its operational partners.

The meeting was welcomed by Defense Minister Olta Xhaçka, who stressed that today Albania is not only a pillar of stability in our region but is an exporter of security.

“Intelligence has always been very important for our collective security efforts. We live in a time of challenges and today the unification of efforts is more important than ever”, - said Minister Xhaçka.

The Military Intelligence Committee is the leading advisory body in intelligence matters for the Military Committee and the North Atlantic Council. MIC acts as a decision-making forum on intelligence issues of common interest, actively participates in the formulation and adoption of NATO’s intelligence policy, and contributes to the production of Agreed and Non-agreed NATO Intelligence.

In an ever-changing security environment, NATO faces many challenges of the Intelligence dimension. Consequently, the Alliance and member states have implemented a more coordinated approach to intelligence analysis and intelligence sharing. Good intelligence helps NATO protect lives and prevent conflicts.

The next Military Intelligence Committee Conference will convene in November 2019 at NATO HQ Brussels.