Introduction
On 4 May 2010, the Council agreed the Secretary General's proposal to establish an Emerging Security Challenges Division (ESCD) in order to address a growing range of non-traditional risks and challenges by consolidating in one entity expertise spread-out across the Headquarters.
Vision for the Emerging Security Challenges Division (ESCD)
New security challenges can affect the Allies in unpredictable ways. The ESCD is part of NATO's response to this evolving international environment. Developing NATO's ability to anticipate and effectively address new challenges will be central to the future of the Alliance. ESCD will play an important role in the transformation of NATO's own structures and procedures, contribute to the implementation of the new Strategic Concept, and further enhance NATO's profile among the Allies. The structure of the ESCD will reflect both the growing interconnections of emerging security challenges and the need for a coherent NATO response.
Key Principles
The ESCD should focus on the emerging security challenges identified as relevant for the Alliance, in particular, by the new Strategic Concept. It should:
· address each of these challenges through a holistic approach, including through close civil-military interaction,
· recognise their global scope, make full use and propose changes of NATO's partnerships and outreach policies, and
· deal with their cross-cutting dimension, through the identification of synergies within the Division within the Alliance as a whole.
Interaction with the Alliance's intelligence community in threat analysis and consequence assessment will be a continuous requirement and an important factor for success. Here the ongoing reform of NATO's intelligence functions and bodies could be very helpful.
In the implementation phase of the new Strategic Concept, the ESCD will also keep the nations actively involved, notably by developing policies and by actively supporting the development and delivery of effective and efficient capabilities.
Main Deliverables
· Strategic assessments of potential crises and emerging security challenges and consequences for NATO
· Policy documents for the nations' consideration and approval on the way forward for the implementation of the Strategic Concept
· Support the development of capability related programs, reflecting nations' financial and technological commitments, including through multinational approaches
· Dialogue and cooperation with partners, International Organisations and other external actors in the subject areas
· Organisation and follow up of public events to raise awareness, information sharing and buy-in with the broader public and academia.
