NATO|Tarja Jaakkola, head of the Ministry of Defense’s resource policy department, will become the first Finnish Deputy Secretary General of NATO. He will start in the position on September 2.
NATO general secretary Jens Stoltenberg has appointed the head of the Ministry of Defense’s resource policy department Tarja Jaakkolan as Deputy Secretary General in charge of the Defense Investment Department of the Federation from September 2, 2024.
The Ministry of Defense announced the matter on Thursday.
HS reports from the show to be done earlier in the summer.
“Of course, I am very happy, and it is a great honor that I was chosen for a very demanding, responsible position. Of course, I’m looking forward to starting the task,” Jaakkola tells HS.
Jaakkolan the appointment is historic, as he is becoming Finland’s first Deputy Secretary General of NATO.
The position of deputy general secretary is the top position of the federation. At the top of NATO’s organization, in addition to the Secretary General, there are eight Deputy Secretaries General, whose title in English is Assistant Secretary General.
The duration of the position is basically three years. In addition, it includes the possibility of one option year.
The Defense Investment Department supports the development of material capabilities of the Alliance and allies, including the development of air and missile defense.
The Deputy Secretary General also leads, among other things, NATO’s Conference of National Defense Materiel Directors (CNAD).
For the time being, Jaakkola does not want to take a stand on any questions related to the content of his future assignment. The time for that is when he has properly familiarized himself with his area of responsibility, he says.
In the press release, he states that in the current security situation, the importance of defense material and industry and the cooperation of allies has been particularly emphasized as part of the alliance’s deterrence and defense.
Defense secretary Antti Häkkänen (kok) communicates in the press release that Jaakkola’s election is great news for Finland and NATO.
“In Finland, you can find excellence and experience for important tasks.”
“What makes the appointment particularly significant is that Finland has only been a member of NATO for a short time.”
In the year Born in 1964, he has been the head of the Ministry of Defense’s resource policy department since 2022. His tenure was supposed to last until the end of 2027.
By education, Jaakkola is a bachelor of law and deputy judge.
The resource policy department of the Ministry of Defense is responsible for the development of military national defense resources. The department is also responsible for issues related to defense materiel cooperation and steering strategic projects.
Jaakkola previously served as the head of the Ministry of Defense’s material unit. Before that, he has worked, among other things, as the head of the unit at the European Defense Agency in Brussels.
NATO the previous Deputy Secretary General of the Department of Defense Investments was Canadian Wendy Gilmour. He only had time to be deputy secretary general for a good year before he unexpectedly announced his resignation at the beginning of this year.
Secretary General Stoltenberg told the public at the time that the departure was due to personal and health reasons.
#NATO #Jens #Stoltenberg #appointed #Tarja #Jaakkola #Deputy #Secretary #General #NATO
