NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NATO and Afghanistan

NATO and Afghanistan

NATO and Afghanistan

NATO’s primary objective in Afghanistan is to enable the Afghan authorities to provide effective security across the country and ensure that the country can never again be a safe haven for terrorists. Since August 2003, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has been conducting security operations, while also training and developing the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Launched in 2011, the transition to Afghan full security responsibility is due to be completed at the end of 2014, when ISAF’s mission will end. NATO will then lead a follow-on mission to continue to support the development of ANSF capacity. Wider cooperation between NATO and Afghanistan will also continue under the Enduring Partnership agreement, signed in 2010 at the Lisbon Summit. NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative carries forward the Alliance's political-military objectives in Afghanistan, liaising with the Afghan government, civil society, representatives of the international community and neighbouring countries.

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A Taliban Commander Turned

26 Sep. 2012

Former Taliban commander Noor ul Aziz talks about life in the Taliban and his decision to defect to the government.

Background information

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Inteqal: Transition to Afghan lead

Inteqal – the Dari and Pashtu word for transition – is the process by which security responsibility for Afghanistan is gradually transitioned from the NATO/ISAF to Afghan leadership. Implementation is well underway, with Afghan forces in the leading for security for around 50% of the Afghan population. The aim is for the Afghan security forces to have full responsibility for security across the country by 2014, in line with the target set at the 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon.

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Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF)

In January 2010 the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board, the formal decision-making body for Afghan and international coordination, endorsed an increase of the Afghan National Army (ANA) growth target to 171,600 by October 2011 and for the Afghan National Police (ANP) to 134,000 by October 2011. 80,000 soldiers and policemen have been added to the force since December 2009 and the current approved end-strength for Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) is 305,600 by the end of October 2011. With current ANSF strength at 290,000 (164,000 ANA and 126,000 ANP), the ANSF has reached 95% of the October 2011 growth target, and is only 15,600 soldiers and police short of this goal.

Download the May 2012 version of this backgrounder (PDF/2,17Mb)

Signature of a Declaration on Enduring Partnership by the President of Afghanistan and the NATO Secretary General - NATO Lisbon summit 2010

Afghanistan and NATO’s Enduring Partnership

On 20 November 2010, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan signed a Declaration on an Enduring Partnership at the NATO Summit in Lisbon.

Download the backgrounder: Afghanistan and NATO’s Enduring Partnership (PDF/161Kb)

Official texts

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Last updated: 26-Sep-2012 18:24

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Publications

NATO and Afghanistan - Questions&Answers 01 Sep. 2012 This brochure is intended to answer several important and frequently asked questions about NATO's role in Afghanistan. 
NATO Rule of Law Field Support Mission (NROLFSM) 01 Jun. 2011 On 9 June 2011, the Defence Ministers from the 48 nations of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) endorsed the NATO Rule of Law Field Support Mission (NROLFSM).  
Helping secure Afghanistan's future 25 Jun. 2008 As part of wider international efforts, NATO-led forces are working to help secure Afghanistan's future and prevent the country from being used as a base for terrorists again. 
Afghanistan Report 2009 02 Apr. 2009 This Annual Report offers a general look at progress in each of the three main lines of effort in which NATO-ISAF is involved, directly or in a supporting role: security, governance and development. And it goes beyond setting out only what NATO-ISAF has done; it attempts to provide the reader with a broader and more balanced picture, including both elements of progress and those areas in which more needs to be done. 
Afghanistan Progress Report 02 Apr. 2008 The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has been operating in Afghanistan for several years, and this report offers a snapshot of progress in the main areas where the international community provides support to the Afghan Government. 

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