Citing a "growing range of non-traditional risks and challenges," the Emerging Security Challenges Division (ESCD) will address "terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cyber defence, and energy security," a statement said.

The western military alliance said the "merging" of existing expertise, which also comes amid re-structuring in the context of cuts within its 28 member states' defence budgets for the coming years, "will give it greater focus and visibility."

Teams started work at the beginning of August, tasked with providing NATO with a "strategic analysis capability to monitor and anticipate international developments that could affect Allied security."

Already engaged in Afghanistan and the Gulf of Aden, the new division underlines the globalised nature of new security threats and comes into being three months before the alliance meets in Lisbon to adopt a new "strategic" mission.

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