Guest Speaker: Shannon Kellogg, Vice President of Public Policy at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Mesdames et Messieurs, (Ladies and Gentlemen,)
As we draw to a close this morning, I would like to take a moment to thank our distinguished guest, Général Lavigne, for his enlightening speech, which served to underscore the deepening relationship between NATO and the private sector. His thoughts on further extending this cooperation have been noted with great interest and enthusiasm.
As the General alluded to, a shining example of such partnership is NATO’s DIANA program. I had the privilege of being in Halifax for the Security conference when the announcement was made that the city would host the North American HQ for DIANA.[1] I must say, it was a moment of profound pride and anticipation for Nova Scotians. Halifax is a beacon of innovation and entrepreneurship, home to numerous tech companies and startups. Its strategic location on the Atlantic coast also lends itself perfectly to bridging the gap between Europe and North America.
As the General mentioned, the DIANA program aims to expedite the process of getting novel, cutting-edge technologies into the hands of NATO forces. It embodies the very essence of NATO’s commitment to continually evolve and adapt in the face of ever-changing security landscapes.
AWS is committed to support NATO in their strategy to accelerate innovative start-ups with dual-use technologies through to delivering mission value. We have a proven track record of helping allied forces deploy cloud services to respond to the needs of the mission.[2]
Make no mistake, when it comes to protecting the lives of citizens, access to modern technology and real-time data can be the difference between mission accomplished and mission failure. With cloud capabilities, NATO can have information at its finger tips that is immediate and actionable in order to make the best decisions to save lives. With Cloud, NATO’s armed forces can analyze vast quantities of instant data, while keeping highly classified information, secure. Imagine a world where NATO’s forces on land, in air, at sea, or at the tactical edge, can have access to the most innovative and secure solutions to dominate the modern battlefield and keep its armed forces protected while achieving important missions.[3]
As we’ve seen with the situation in Ukraine, the nature of conflict is rapidly evolving. In the words of Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister, Mykhailo Federov, ‘this is the most technologically advanced war in human history – every day we see how technology can help in the modern-day battlefield’.[4] Efforts to help Ukraine underscore just how tech companies can help governments and organizations remain secure and resilient in the face of adversity. Following Russia’s invasion, AWS worked closely with the Ukrainian government to help keep the country’s vital systems online and operational. We securely migrated over 10 petabytes of data to the cloud – preserving government services such as the population registry, land and property ownership documents, tax accounts, education records, banking data, and more, to ensure the continuity of services.
In conclusion, let us remember that the strength of NATO lies not only in the power of our collective defense but also in the power of our partnerships. The relationship between NATO and the private sector is not merely transactional; it is deeply transformative and continues to yield benefits beyond our immediate horizons.
On behalf of AWS, I’d like to extend my appreciation to all the stakeholders present here today, from our esteemed government officials to our partners in defense organizations, all of whom play a pivotal role in shaping this Alliance. Your collective expertise and commitment are at the heart of NATO's success and evolution.
On that note, I would like to invite all of you to stick around and take advantage of the opportunity to network with your peers. There is so much knowledge, insight, and experience in this room, and I believe that our conversations and collaborations beyond this event will contribute significantly to our shared goals. Please help yourselves to more coffee and refreshments.
Merci encore, Mon Général, pour votre présence et votre contribution à cet événement.
We are truly appreciative of your time here today.
[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defense/news/2022/11/government-of-canada-proposes-halifax-as-north-american-location-for-natos-defense-innovation-accelerator-for-the-north-atlantic.html
[2]https://www.diana.nato.int/#:~:text=Emerging%20and%20disruptive%20technologies%20present,protect%20our%20one%20billion%20citizens.
[3] https://youtu.be/HHbBizyTet4
[4] https://www.techradar.com/news/ukraine-hails-priceless-help-from-amazon-web-services
