The Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback (OCC E&F) Programme is used to develop and train partner land, maritime, air or Special Operations Forces that seek to meet NATO standards. This rigorous process can often take a few years, but it ensures that partner forces are interoperable with Allied forces. Some partners use the OCC as a strategic tool to transform their defence forces. The OCC has contributed significantly to the increasing number of partner forces participating in NATO-led operations and the NATO Response Force.
Representatives of 21 partner countries and members of the NATO Command Structure gathered to hear the very latest in programme updates and discuss opportunities for further development and enhancement of cooperation with NATO partner nations.
Conference participants were welcomed by Rear Admiral Mohamed TAHIN, Inspector of the Royal Navy of Morocco, who emphasised the importance of the OCC E&F as a framework for partner countries to build military capabilities and mutual trust.
SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff Partnerships Directorate, Rear Admiral Gunnstein BRUÅSDAL echoed the critical role of this programme in providing mutual benefit for NATO and its partners:
The OCC is one of the most effective NATO mechanisms to drive and develop cooperation with partner nations across political and military domain
“The OCC is one of the most effective NATO mechanisms to drive and develop cooperation with partner nations across political and military domains. This concept supports the transformation of partner nation forces and acts as a catalyst between force planning and operation planning to NATO’s training, exercise and certification processes, where partner nation’s contributions are realized in visible and measureable effects.”
Assistant Chief of Staff Military Cooperation, Brigadier General Martin REMES added:
“The OCC E&F Conference is a key event for partner nations to meet and communicate with the NATO Command Structure in person. It also provides a tangible opportunity for the NATO Command Structure to assess the effectiveness of the evaluation and feedback activity with the partner nations, recognize challenges, and develop long term engagement plans.”
The OCC E&F Conference is a key event for partner nations to meet and communicate with the NATO Command Structure in person
Morocco is an excellent example of the success of working together to develop interoperability and operational capability and the positive benefit to NATO. Joining the Mediterranean dialogue in 1995 and participating in the OCC E&F since 2019, the Armed Forces of Morocco have contributed to NATO-led crisis response and stabilisation operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and supported NATO’s Trident exercises in recent years.