MONS, Belgium – SHAPE’s Partnership Directorate (PD) hosted a visit from a selected group of Swedish Armed Forces Command Senior Enlisted Leaders (CSEL) on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024 at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
Sponsored by Warrant Officer Class 1 (WOI) Steven Catherwood, CSEL for SHAPE’s PD, the team were briefed on matters of NATO defence interest, operational updates and Sweden’s current role as an enhanced partner.
"The level of knowledge and experience demonstrated amongst these CSEls from various units within the Swedish Army, provided an outstanding opportunity for two-way discussions and learning points of mutual benefit,” said Catherwood. "The briefings provided by SHAPE staff officers on a variety of subjects reflected already the close cooperation with this key partner, the future relationships within the Alliance and other areas that are defensive in nature.”
Sweden joined NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme in 1994 and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in 1997. Sweden remains a critical partner whilst on the path to Accession whose contribution to NATO now and in the future is highly valued.
Sweden will also participate in Exercise Steadfast Defender 24, NATO’s main multi-domain exercise with approximately 90,000 personnel from across all Force Domains. The exercise began in January and will end in May 2024.
A select group of Swedish Armed Forces Command Senior Enlisted Leaders visited Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024 to be briefed on a variety of issues including current NATO Operations. - Photo by SHAPE Public Affairs Office