Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on October 1 officially took office as the 14th Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on October 1, 2024 after the outgoing head of the alliance Jens Stoltenberg passed a ceremonial gavel to him to mark the occasion.

During a special session of the NATO Council in Brussels, Mr. Stoltenberg formally handed over to Rutte, marked by the ceremonial passing of a historic gavel.

"It is a great honor to be here and to take up the position of NATO secretary general," Rutte said, thanking member states for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the alliance.

Rutte reportedly outlined three priorities for NATO under his leadership: keeping NATO strong and ensuring its defenses remain effective and credible; increasing support for Ukraine and bringing it closer to NATO; and strengthening partnerships.

NATO decided to appoint Rutte as the next secretary general on June 26.

NATO’s official website says as a former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mr. Rutte has a distinguished record of domestic and international achievements including security, defense, employment and social affairs, and economics.  He is reportedly a strong supporter of global and transatlantic cooperation.

He reportedly joined NATO following a distinguished domestic and international career.  Mr. Rutte served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands for almost 14 years from October 2010 to July 2024.