MONS, Belgium – Canadian Major General Dany Fortin, the incoming commander of NATO Mission Iraq (NMI), met with key members of staff at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018.

Most significantly, General Fortin had the opportunity to discuss the way forward with General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

"NATO has tasked Major General Fortin with advising officials and training and advising instructors at educational institutions," General Scaparrotti said. "He and his team will help develop Iraq's capacity to build more effective national security structures."

The NATO Mission Iraq follows on the footsteps of NATO Training and Capacity Building in Iraq (NTCB-I.) Working closely with the Government of Iraq, they will help address shortfalls that were identified in the framework for the Global Coalition to defeat Daesh.

"NATO Mission Iraq will provide unique expertise to complement the training and capacity building the Global Coalition and the international community have provided with close coordination and engagement from the Government of Iraq," Fortin said. "I am humbled by the opportunity to command this NATO effort, as we support Iraqis in establishing the conditions for long-term peace and stability."

(NTCB-I) began in early 2017 in accordance with NAC guidance and was based upon the request from the Iraqi authorities. NATO established a small core team of civilian and military personnel in Baghdad in January 2017, to coordinate training and capacity-building activities in the country in support of Iraqi security forces and institutions.