After leaving Istanbul and crossing the Black Sea, SNMCMG2 entered Batumi harbour on 27th September receiving a welcome ceremony by civilian and military authorities under strict COVID-19 risk mitigation measures.
Georgia is one of the countries under NATO Partnership for Peace Programme. The goal of the visit was to strengthen ties between NATO and Georgia, to enhance security and maritime awareness in the Black Sea Region, and increase Georgian Coast Guard capabilities.
SNMCMG2 and Georgian Coast Guard had the opportunity to interact with each other with activities such as information sharing, training briefs, as well as communications and manoeuvring exercises at sea. These activities, contribute to enhance the regional maritime capacity building process and to increase mutual understanding, interoperability and cohesion.
The Black Sea is of strategic importance to NATO. With three Allied nations, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey and two regional partners, Georgia and Ukraine as littoral states, cooperation in the region for a secure maritime environment is of particular interest for NATO.
SNMCMG2 is one of four Standing Forces that comprise the maritime component of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), which is part of the NATO Response Force (NRF). To respond to contingency situations, additional forces can be added to these groups, with the NATO command staff on board and the ships of the Group as the nucleus, capable of providing timely support to NATO operations.
With three Allied nations, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey and two regional partners, Georgia and Ukraine as littoral states, cooperation in the region for a secure maritime environment is of particular interest for NATO.
The Black Sea is of strategic importance to NATO. With three Allied nations, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey and two regional partners, Georgia and Ukraine as littoral states, cooperation in the region for a secure maritime environment is of particular interest for NATO.
SNMCMG2 is one of four Standing Forces that comprise the maritime component of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), which is part of the NATO Response Force (NRF). To respond to contingency situations, additional forces can be added to these groups, with the NATO command staff on board and the ships of the Group as the nucleus, capable of providing timely support to NATO operations.