NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Iraqi Foreign Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari to NATO Headquarters on Tuesday (18 October 2016) for talks on the Alliance’s support to Iraq. The two leaders also discussed political and security developments, including the ongoing fight to liberate Mosul.

The Secretary General commended the success of Iraqi security forces in reclaiming key territories from ISIL. He reiterated NATO’s commitment to provide in-country training and capacity building for Iraq, as requested by Iraqi Prime Minister al-Abadi and as agreed by Allies at the Warsaw Summit. Allies are now planning for a NATO presence in Iraq, which could conduct in-country training, beginning in January 2017 and which would build on the Alliance’s existing training in Jordan.

During his visit, Minister Al-Jaafari also participated in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council. He addressed domestic and regional security challenges, including progress in the fight against ISIL. The Secretary General noted that NATO AWACS aircraft will soon be flying in direct support of the Counter-ISIL Coalition. Allies stressed that the battle for Mosul is a turning point in the fight against ISIL, and expressed their continued support to sustain the momentum and work of the Global Coalition. Allies also highlighted the need for a sustainable stabilisation effort following the liberation of Mosul and encouraged Iraq to continue implementing policies to bridge ethnic divisions and to build inclusive security forces and state institutions.