Non-Traditional Roles of Military Actors: NATO’s Engagement in Natural Disaster Response
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18485/fb_ijcss.2025.1.1.6Keywords:
crisis management, humanitarian assistance, natural disasters, identity, NATO.Abstract
Historically, the primary purpose of military alliances has been to secure state sovereignty and provide collective defence against external armed threats. The events of the Cold War shaped the trajectory of NATO as a leading military alliance, with the principal task of developing and maintaining the capacity to defend against attacks from the opposing bloc. This task determined the course of the alliance's development during the Cold War, aimed at strengthening military capabilities and ensuring readiness to mount a collective response to any aggression against its members. However, the dissolution of the rival bloc and the changing nature of security threats in the post-Cold War period compelled NATO to shift from a military alliance to a broader political and military forum, maintaining its relevance and justifying its continuity. While NATO has increasingly assumed the role of a political coalition, its military capability still represents its core strength. Nevertheless, its use is now linked to a broader spectrum of practices than during the Cold War, including humanitarian responses to natural disasters and other emergencies. This paper aims to examine one of NATO’s post-Cold War roles, specifically its engagement in crisis response operations triggered by natural disasters, and to demonstrate that this practice has become an integral part of NATO’s contemporary identity. Methodologically, the paper combines content analysis of NATO documents with two case studies. The findings indicate that both the internal and external NATO identity, grounded in its operational roles, have evolved. Member states, partner countries, and international organisations no longer perceive NATO solely as a defensive alliance but also as an actor to which they turn to address complex crises, including those triggered by natural disasters.
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