Tarja Jaakkola appointed as NATO Deputy Secretary General

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has appointed Tarja Jaakkola as Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investments, the highest position held by a Finn in NATO.

A woman with short hair, glasses, a blue shirt and a scarf looks seriously at the camera. — Tarja Jaakkola has been the head of the Resource Policy Department at the Ministry of Defence since 2022. Image: Ministry of National Defense

A civilian official from the Ministry of Defense has been appointed to the highest position among Finns within NATO.

The ministry announced on Thursday that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Appointed Tariya JakolaThe director of the Department of Defense’s Resource Policy Division will serve as assistant secretary for defense investment. She will take office on September 2.

In her position, Yakkola will lead the Defense Investments Directorate, which oversees NATO and allied material capability development, including air and missile defense. She will also chair the Conference of National Armaments Directors.

“I am delighted to be appointed to such a responsible and demanding position,” Yakola said in a Defense Ministry statement. “The current security situation underscores the importance of defense materiel, the defense industry and allied cooperation for NATO deterrence and defense.”

Jaakola is the first Finn to be appointed Assistant Secretary-General.

“Jaakkola’s appointment is good news for Finland and NATO. Finland has the necessary expertise and experience for this important position. What is even more remarkable is that Finland has only been a NATO member for a short time,” the defense minister said. Antti Hakanen (NCP) indicates that Finland Join the Alliance April 2023.

Jacquela, a lawyer, was director general of the Ministry of Defence’s Resource Policy Department for two years. Prior to that, she was head of the Ministry of Defence’s Materiel Department and senior ministerial adviser, and also held senior positions at the European Defence Agency in Brussels.

NATO has seven other assistant secretaries-general, including one woman. Mary Doha Besancenot French Foreign Minister. She was appointed last fall and is in charge of public diplomacy.

Stoltenberg, the outgoing secretary-general Visited Finland June. After ten years in office, he will be succeeded on October 1 by the former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

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