North Atlantic Council Approves Accreditation of NATO Energy Security Centre in Lithuania

October 15, 2012 defpro.com

On October 12 the North Atlantic Council granted the status of the NATO Centre of Excellence to the Energy Security Centre of Lithuania. This approval was the final step in the accreditation process.

“The establishment and accreditation of the NATO Energy Security Centre is a huge appreciation of Lithuania’s efforts in the NATO energy security area making Lithuania a leader in energy security area not only in the EU but also in NATO. I am very happy to see that the idea which was conceived in 2008 has now been embodied”, Minister of National Defence Rasa Jukneviciene said.

According to Minister, the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence will focus majorly on officer education and exercises seeking to have the ensurement of energy security points integrated into the daily defence planning process. “The activities of the NATO Energy Security Centre in Vilnius will be tailored to meet the realistic needs of the allied capabilities: enhancement of energy efficiency in the deployment locations, identification of alternative energy sources in missions and operations, application of advanced technologies, etc.,” Minister said.

On July 10 documentation for the establishment of the NATO Centre of Excellence was signed at the NATO's Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in Norfolk by Lithuanian, Latvian, Turkish, and Italian authorised military representatives. Later on Estonia and France joined the establishment of the Centre.

NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence has been established on the basis of the currently operating Energy Security Centre under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which will ensure the functioning of the NATO Centre of Excellence before receiving the status an independent international military organisation.

NATO Centre of Excellence will be based in the Gen Jonas Zemaitis Military Academy premises. The multinational staff will be manned by all the framework, sponsor and contributing nations.

COE is run by the delegate of the Ministry of National Defence Col Romualdas Petkevicius.

Ministry of National Defence will also post five specialists and administrative personnel to COE. One specialist will be delegated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The establishing countries or the countries which could present their intent to contribute to the COE activity are planned to delegate their representatives in the period between 2013 and 2014.

COE operating costs will be covered from a collective NATO COEs budget financed by all the framework, sponsor and contributing nations depending on the number of specialists delegated.

NATO COEs fulfil the following key tasks: enhance the process of the military capability development, efficiency of military missions and operational compatibility, render qualified and timely expert support on the energy security issues.

COE will be analysing the aspects of energy security and critical energy infrastructure, rendering recommendations and advice regarding operational energy security issues, application of alternative energy sources in military activities and the development of environmentally friendly and efficient military capabilities, and will contribute to training events and exercises.

NATO member states committed to integrate energy security issues into NATO activity in the NATO Lisbon Summit in 2010.