Iceland has formally joined the Joint Expeditionary Force
(JEF), the group of 10 northern European nations committed
to upholding northern European security.
Defence Secretary and
Iceland’s Ambassador to the UK Sturla Sigurjónsson today
signed a Note of Joining that welcomes Iceland into the JEF
alongside the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia,
Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
Iceland’s deep understanding of the North Atlantic and High
North environment and its civilian expertise will
strengthen the JEF.
Defence Secretary
said:
I’m delighted to welcome Iceland into the Joint
Expeditionary Force. As a group of northern European
democracies with shared values and committed to a
collective response to threats to Euro-Atlantic security,
it is natural for us to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with
Iceland.
Iceland Minister for Foreign Affairs and
International Development Cooperation Gudlaugur Thór
Thórdarson said:
We are pleased to be joining the JEF group of likeminded
countries for a deeper regional consultation and
cooperation on security and defence, as well as on possible
coordinated civil emergency and humanitarian assistance.
Iceland looks forward to engaging in a more comprehensive
strategic dialogue within JEF and an eventual contribution
on a civilian basis.
Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key
said:
Since its establishment in 2014, the JEF has demonstrated
that together, we are stronger. Iceland’s inclusion expands
the JEF’s expertise and bolsters its collective support of
Northern European security.
Iceland’s entry into the JEF also reflects its growing
bilateral relationship with the UK on defence and security
issues. Our two nations, both NATO Allies, share security
concerns about the North Atlantic and the High North
region. In 2019 the RAF patrolled over Iceland for the
first time since the Second World War as part of the NATO
Icelandic Air Policing mission.
What is the JEF?
The Joint Expeditionary Force (the JEF) is a UK-led
coalition of ten countries who share a commitment to
democracy, human rights and the rule of law as well as a
long history of operating together. We also share a
determination to global and regional peace and maintaining
the security of northern Europe.
The JEF is able to operate wherever in the world any two of
its members choose to deploy together. Our particular focus
is on the High North, the North Atlantic and the Baltic
regions, where the JEF can complement national as well as
NATO’s deterrence posture in the region. It is designed to
be as flexible as possible and has utility across a broad
spectrum of operational activities, including humanitarian
assistance and Defence diplomacy.
