page_title: Secretary General of NATO
section_title: List of office-holders
hierarchical_section_title: Secretary General of NATO / History / List of office-holders
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: Collectie / Archief&#160;: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie&#160;: Hoorzitting in de Tweede Kamer over nieuw te plaatsen kernwapens, waar generaal Rogers (opperbevelhebber van de NAVO) en mr. Luns (secretaris-generaal van de NAVO) worden gehoord Beschrijving&#160;: Generaal Rogers (l) en Luns Datum&#160;: 13 januari 1983 Locatie&#160;: Den Haag, Zuid-Holland Trefwoorden&#160;: bewapening, groepsportretten, wapens Persoonsnaam&#160;: Luns, J.A.M.H., Luns, Joseph Fotograaf&#160;: Croes, Rob C. / Anefo Auteursrechthebbende&#160;: Nationaal Archief Materiaalsoort&#160;: Negatief (zwart/wit) Nummer archiefinventaris&#160;: bekijk toegang 2.24.01.05 Bestanddeelnummer&#160;: 932-4627
context_page_description: The secretary general of NATO is an international diplomat who serves as the chief civil servant of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The officeholder is responsible for coordinating the workings of the alliance, leading NATO's international staff, chairing the meetings of the North Atlantic Council and most major committees of the alliance, with the notable exception of the NATO Military Committee, as well as acting as NATO's spokesperson. The secretary general does however not have any military command role; political, military and strategic decisions ultimately rest with the member states. Together with the chairman of the NATO Military Committee and the supreme Allied commander, the secretary general is one of the foremost officials of NATO.
  The current secretary general of NATO is former Norwegian prime minister Jens Stoltenberg, who took office on 1 October 2014. Stoltenberg's mission as secretary general was extended for another four-year term, meaning that he will lead NATO until September 30, 2022.
context_section_description: The NATO countries selected the first secretary general on April 4, 1952. Since that time, twelve different diplomats have served officially as secretary general. Eight countries have been represented, with three secretaries general hailing from the United Kingdom, three from the Netherlands, two from Belgium, one from Italy, one from Germany, one from Spain, one from Denmark, and one from Norway. The position has also been occupied temporarily on three occasions by an acting secretary general between appointments.
caption: Supreme Allied Commander Europe Bernard W. Rogers and Secretary General Joseph Luns on 13 January 1983.
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