The head of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, is to stay on for another year after his contract was extended again, the BBC reports.
Mr Stoltenberg’s time as secretary general was due to end in October, but the 31 Nato states decided to keep him on rather than opting for someone new.
His term had already been extended three times – and this news means he will complete a decade at the helm.
Other names had been mooted, but the decision suggests Nato wants continuity and experience amid the war in Ukraine.
Mr Stoltenberg, 64, welcomed the news, tweeting: “Honored by Nato allies’ decision to extend my term as secretary general until 1 October 2024. In a more dangerous world, our alliance is more important than ever.”
Nato – the West’s defensive military alliance – has 31 members who agree to help one another if they come under attack.
Norwegian-born Mr Stoltenberg, an economist and former prime minister, is seen as a steady leader, and the announcement comes just a week before the next major Nato summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
