NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gives opening speech at the NATO 2030 Youth Summit.
Transcript
Thank you so much, Laura. On many, thanks to the Munich security conference for organizing the NATO 2030 youth Summit with us today, you are outstanding platform for addressing future security challenges. Good afternoon, Europe. On Good Morning North America, let me start by congratulating Joe Biden on his selection as the next president of the United States on camera, Harris asked the next vice president. I worked with Joe Biden for many years, and I know him as a strong supporter of NATO on the transatlantic relationship. A strong NATO is good for Europe on good for North America, and I look forward to working very closely with the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to further strengthen the cooperation between North America and Europe in the years to come. When NATO leaders last met, they asked me to lead a reflection on how to make our strong alliance even stronger forward looking on fit for the future. And that is why I’m holding this youth summit NATO 2030 today because NATO 2030 is about your future, your freedom and your lines. When I was your age, everything I grew up in Norway on my views on values were shaped by the world around me. We lived under the shadow of the Cold War on the threat of nuclear attack. But we felt safe because we were part of an alliance on trusted that our friends in NATO would always come to our red aid one for all on all. For one, that solemn promise has kept NATO allies safe for more than 70 years. Today, NATO’s core mission continues preserving the peace, on deterring aggression, on land, at sea, in the air, in space, on in cyberspace, from pandemics to info de mix cyberattacks to climate change. Our world keeps on changing on NATO is changing with it. So in, um, or uncertain world, we need a strategy to deal with uncertainty in the more contested world. We need a forum to settle our differences on in a more competitive world. We need strength to tackle global challenges. For all these reasons we need NATO on, Let me explain why First, if Cove anointing has shown us anything, it is that our world is more unpredictable than ever before. The Onley thing we can be certain off is uncertainty itself. When I was asked to become NATO secretary general in early 2014. The world was a very different place. Few had heard of Isis on. Few predicted Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Since then, Russia has continued its aggressive actions. We have seen new levels of brutality from ISIS and other terrorist organizations on China. Has Bean asserting its economic and military weight on the world stage ? We do not always know what the next crisis will be, but we do know that we all strongly together down alone in times of peace or conflict. It is good to have friends. We have seen the value of our reliance in responding Thio the Cove in 19 Pandemic, delivering much needed medical aid on supporting civilian efforts to save lives in um or uncertain world. We need to strengthen international cooperation on the international institutions that uphold it. Like NATO, I we need to invest more in our collective defense to defend the right off each of us to live our lives in peace and freedom. Second in um, or contested world, we need a forum for solving our differences. It is no secret that NATO allies do not always see eye to eye. We have had our differences in the past on we have them today. NATO provides a platform to bring allies together. So when we disagree, we can sit down together, speak together on solve our differences. NATO is the Onley place that brings Europe and North America together every day. NATO is deep place to discuss the side on act on issues that affect of shared security On that brings me to my final point that in a world of greater competition, we need strength and solidarity to address global challenges. Today’s security challenges go beyond national borders. They cannot be addressed by any country alone, not even the biggest. Whether we’re talking about the rise of China or climate change, the spread of nuclear weapons or cyber attacks and this information when we speak as one, our voice is louder when we decide and act together, our words and actions are 30 ally strong. NATO brings together almost one billion people, half of the world’s economic and military might. We also have a network of like minded partners around the world, from Finland and Sweden, toe Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan. So, as we face even greater global competition, We must work even Mawr closer together to defend our values and way of life on to strengthen the global norms and institutions that have kept us safe and strong for decades. Faced with um, or uncertain, contested and competitive world, we need a strategy to deal with uncertainty. A forum for solving of differences on the strength to tackle global challenges on That is why we need NATO now for the next decade on they owned you. Tomorrow’s leaders both in North America on Europe, have the greatest stake in our security. So NATO 2030 is the chance for you to step up on. Safeguard your future, your freedom, your alliance. Now is the time for you to share your views on. Tell us your ideas. So welcome to the NATO 2030 youth Summit.