NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (also known as NATO), is an intergovernmental organisation and alliance that is built on cooperation between its 29 member states. It is centred around working together on areas concerning security and defence, with an aim to prevent conflict and promote democratic values.

NATO was officially created with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, also known as the Washington Treaty, on April 4 1949, building of previous treaties between the UK, France and the Benelux countries. At its inauguration, NATO composed of the aforementioned states, plus Portugal, Italy, Iceland, Denmark and Norway, Canada and the United States of America. As of last year, the alliance inducted its newest member, Montenegro. What makes NATO stand out among similar international organisations is its “mutual defence” clause in its founding treaty, simply put, where one member is attacked, all respond. Illustrating the importance that NATO places upon trust, confidence, and cooperation amongst its members is that decisions made on behalf of the alliance, is made only by consensus, expressing the collective will of all of its members on an issue. APPLY NOW