Click here for a Word document of the Timeline
2021
30 March 2021 Canada is staying in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant for another year. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced Tuesday that Canada will keep up to 850 troops in Iraq and the surrounding region until next March.
February 2021 NATO defence ministers decide to increase the size of NATO Mission Iraq and to expand training activities. Any troop increases would be based on requirements and consent from the Iraqi authorities, and conditions on the ground; and would occur incrementally over time.
2020
24 November 2020 Lieutenant-General Per Pugholm Olsen of the Danish Armed Forces is the new Commander of the NATO Mission Iraq, following a change of command ceremony held in Baghdad on 24 November 2020. He succeeds Major-General Jennie Carignan of the Canadian Armed Forces, who had assumed command of the mission in November 2019
October 2020 At request of Iraqi government, NATO defence ministers agree to start planning for expanding NATO Mission Iraq.
2019
November 2019 Major-General Jennie Carignan of the Canadian Armed Forces assumes command of the mission in November 2019.
2018
October 2018 On the request of the Iraqi government, NATO agreed to establish an advisory, training and capacity-building mission in Iraq in October 2018. NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) is helping to strengthen Iraqi security forces and Iraqi military education institutions so that Iraqi forces can prevent the return of ISIS/Da’esh.
22 August 2018 Canada’s Department of National Defence announced on Wednesday 22 August 2018 that Major-General Dany Fortin has been selected to lead the new NATO Mission Iraq.
11 July 2018 At the Brussels Summit, Allied leaders launch a non-combat training and capacity-building mission in Iraq. NATO Mission Iraq will provide additional support to Iraq’s efforts to stabilise the country and fight terrorism.
22 June 2018 North Atlantic Council approves Operations Plan for NATO Mission Iraq.
26 April 2018 North Atlantic Council approves Concept of Operations for a NATO mission in Iraq.
5 March 2018 During his second official visit to Iraq, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meets Iraqi President and Prime Minister and visits NATO’s training facilities in Besmaya.
February 2018 At request of Iraqi government and Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS/Daesh, NATO defence ministers agree to start planning for a NATO mission in Iraq to make current training efforts more sustainable.
February 2018 The Iraq Reconstruction conference in Kuwait is attended by 70 countries and international organisations as well as 2,000 private sector companies, mobilising nearly USD 300 million to support reconstruction.
22 January 2018 US Secretary of Defense James Mattis sends letter of request, on behalf of Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS/Daesh, for NATO to scale up current training and advising activities in Iraq, with the aim to transition its activities to a mission by the NATO Summit in Brussels in July 2018.
2017
November 2017 Iraqi government announces victory against terrorist ISIS/Daesh and regains control of its territory, liberating more than 7.5 million people from Daesh oppression.
25 May 2017 NATO joins Global Coalition to defeat ISIS/Daesh.
January 2017 NATO Core Team is deployed to Baghdad to coordinate in-country training and capacity-building activities.
2016
18 October 2016 Iraqi Foreign Minister Dr Ibrahim Al-Jaafari visits NATO Headquarters for talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the Alliance’s support to Iraq as well as political and security developments, including the ongoing fight to liberate Mosul.
July 2016 Also at Warsaw, Allied leaders decide to provide direct support to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS/Daesh with NATO AWACS surveillance aircraft.
July 2016 At NATO Summit in Warsaw, Allied leaders respond positively to a request from Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Abadi, agreeing to start training and advising Iraqi security forces and institutions within Iraq, alongside training of Iraqi officers and non-commissioned officers out of the country.
19 May 2016 NATO foreign ministers agree that NATO should do more to project stability beyond the Alliance’s borders by training local forces to build their capacity to secure their own territory and push back against extremist groups.
April 2016 Training for Iraqi security forces under DCB Initiative is launched in Jordan, with 350 Iraqi officers being trained between April and December 2016.
1 March 2016 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meets President Fouad Massoum and Prime Minister Al-Abadi during his first official visit to Iraq. He commends the success of Iraqi forces in pushing ISIS/Daesh back and welcomes the government’s ongoing efforts to build confidence across Iraq’s different communities, which is vital for the country’s long-term stability.
2015
31 July 2015 Following a request of the Iraqi government for assistance through the Defence and Related Security Capacity Building (DCB) Initiative, NATO Allies agree on DCB package, based on Iraqi requirements.
2012
24 September 2012 NATO-Iraq IPCP is signed, focusing mainly on education and training, response to terrorism, countering improvised explosive devices, explosive ordnance disposal, and defence institution building.
June 2012 A temporary one-year NATO Transition Cell opens in Baghdad to ensure smooth transition from NTM-I to regular partnership programme and to assist the Iraqi government in establishing inter-agency mechanism to determine what capabilities the country needs to develop.
May 2012 Iraq officially submits its draft Individual Partnership Cooperation Programme (IPCP) to NATO.
2011
31 December 2011 NTM-I is discontinued due to the lack of an agreement on the legal status of NATO troops operating in the country.
April 2011 Allies agree to grant Iraq partner status.
2010
5 October 2010 In response to Iraqi Minister of Interior Bolani’s request, Italy announces its intention to provide specialised training in the area of oil policing to the Government of Iraq and as part of NTM-I.
2008
December 2008 NATO expands NTM-I to include navy and air force leadership training, defence reform, defence institution building and small arms and light weapons accountability, at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki.
2007
2007 Allies decide to extend their training assistance to Iraq by including gendarmerie-type training of the federal police to bridge the gap between routine police work and military operations.
2006
2006 NATO Summit in Riga, Allied leaders agree to develop niche training options within the mandate of NTM-I.
2005
February 2005 NTM-I is fully staffed and funded.
2004
End 2004: NTM-I is now established, at the request of the Iraqi interim government and in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546, to help Iraq create effective armed forces by providing training and mentoring, and donating equipment.
16 December 2004: SACEUR gives activation order paving the way to deploy an additional 300 trainers and support staff. The activation order also changes the mission name to NATO Training Mission-Iraq (NTM-I).
9 December 2004: NATO foreign ministers authorise Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) to start next stage of the mission.
November 2004: NATO military authorities prepare a detailed concept of operations for the expanded assistance, including rules of engagement for force protection.
22 September 2004: North Atlantic Council agrees to expand NATO’s assistance to Iraq to include a NATO-supported Iraqi Training, Education and Doctrine Centre in Iraq.
30 July 2004: NATO Training Implementation Mission is established to identify best methods for conducting training inside and outside Iraq. First elements deployed to Baghdad on 7 August followed by a team of 50 officers.
28 June 2004: At NATO Summit in Istanbul, NATO heads of state and government agree to assist Iraq with training of its security forces on the day that sovereignty was formally transferred to an interim Iraqi government.
22 June 2004: Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ilyad Allawi sends letter to NATO Secretary General requesting NATO support to his government through training and other forms of technical assistance.
Sources