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NATO to open new hub for South to deal with challenges from MENA

NATO Defence ministers meeting in Brussels
NATO Defence ministers meeting in Brussels
BRUSSELS, Feb 15 (KUNA) -- NATO Defence Ministers began two days of talks in Brussels on Wednesday, focusing on ensuring NATO's strength and flexibility in the face of evolving challenges.
Today, Ministers will review progress in deploying NATO's deterrent forces in the eastern part of the Alliance and assess what more NATO can do in the fight against terrorism, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters ahead of the meeting.
They are expected to agree on a new regional Hub for the South, based at NATO's Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy.
"This will help us to coordinate information on crisis countries such as Libya and Iraq, and help us address terrorism and other challenges stemming from the region," he said.
"We will also discuss what more NATO can do in the fight against terrorism. We have been engaged in this effort for many years, and today our work continues. From Afghanistan to Iraq and Tunisia. With support for the Counter-ISIL Coalition and with improved intelligence-sharing," added the NATO chief.
Meanwhile, a senior NATO official told journalists that the Hub command in Naples will consist of 100 people and its aim is to coordinate and increase better the situational awareness of threats and challenges emanating from the Middle East and North Africa.
The official speaking on condition of anonymity said there can be coordination and cooperation between the Naples hub and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI)-NATO centre which was inaugurated in Kuwait on 24 January.
"Yes indeed there can be a connection between the centre and the hub," he stressed.
"We are grateful to Kuwait for establishing the centre and we will maximize the value of the centre for Kuwait and NATO and for other regional partners for which there is real potential," he stressed.
The official clarified that NATO has no plans to open any new regional centre in the region.
NATO opened a regional crisis management training centre since three years in Mauritania designed to help build government structures and capacity building. (end) nk.mt