Solbiate Olona, November 14, 2024 – H.E. Elita Gavele, the Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to Italy, visited the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA) Headquarters in Solbiate Olona (VA) today.
After being welcomed by the Commander, Lieutenant General Lorenzo D’Addario, and meeting with representatives of the NATO contributing nations, the Ambassador attended a briefing on NRDC-ITA’s missions, structure, and capabilities. Special attention was given to NRDC-ITA’s new role as the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) Headquarters, which will provide support to the Alliance in its core missions.
Specifically, NRDC-ITA, in alignment with the tasks outlined in NATO's new Strategic Concept, will continue planning and conducting a series of activities over the coming months, including military exercises, academic studies, and staff training. This will include the upcoming Steadfast Dagger 24 exercise in Norway.
ARF is a completely new concept, stemming from a political decision taken at the NATO summit in Vilnius in 2023. The aim is to enable SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe) to have forces that are rapidly deployable across all domains, achieve more immediate results than in the past, and provide an effective response to crises in all types of operations.
In her speech, Ambassador Gavele shared valuable insights into Latvia's position on several key issues, including global security, the support to Ukraine, the cooperation with international organizations and the projects in the pipeline. The visit concluded with participation in the celebration of Latvia’s National Day, a significant moment to recall the shared efforts in support of the Alliance within an organization of 32 member states that uphold common values.