This was the first NATO seminar within the CIMIC community that allowed several NATO Entities, International Organizations (IOs) and Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to start the discussion, brainstorming, development of ideas, and identify gaps for CIMIC in the Maritime Domain and to boost the perception of maritime CIMIC within NATO.
The first day was focused on external non-military stakeholders and the second one on NATO and European Union internally. The discussion considered a wide range of subjects, such as migration, cultural property protection, integration of Information technology (IT) systems for a Recognized Maritime Picture (RPM), protection of merchant shipping, smuggling, human trafficking and climate change.
Furthermore, all participants have agreed to conduct a yearly iteration to establish a forum for Military and Civilians to discuss, present and establish a network to tackle the challenges of the future CIMIC in the Maritime Domain.
Attended the seminar representatives from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), the Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS), the Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP), the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), NATO Civil-Military Cooperation Centre of Excellence (CCOE), the Cultural Property Protection Unit (CPPU), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the EEAS European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI (EUNAVFOR MED IRINI), the European Union Naval Force Somalia – Operation ATALANTA (EUNAVFOR ATALANTA), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Italian Operational Command of Joint Forces (COVI), the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre Narcotics (MAOC-N), the Portuguese Armed Forces Companhia Geral CIMIC and the Stratcom Academy.
STRIKFORNATO, headquartered at Oeiras, Portugal, is Supreme Allied Commander Europe's (SACEUR) premier, rapidly deployable and flexible, maritime power projection Headquarters, capable of planning and executing full spectrum joint maritime operations, primarily through the integration of U.S. naval and amphibious forces, in order to provide assurance, deterrence, and collective defence for the Alliance.