The international military organization needs new strategies for the next decade, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday.

He further said that toward that end, there are five lessons to be learned from the dragged-out war in Afghanistan.

Rasmussen said during a speech at the University of Chicago, "First, there is no military solution to conflicts solely. We must strengthen the interaction between military security and civilian development, a comprehensive approach.

He further noted, "Second, we must engage in dialogue and consultation with important actors and stakeholders by developing our global partnerships. Third, we must reform our militaries and build more deployable forces. Fourth, we must develop a capacity to train and educate local security forces."

The final lesson, Rasmussen said, is that despite its shortcomings, NATO has grown to include 45 nations that have shown remarkable solidarity through the years of tough slogging through Afghanistan.

He further added, "To my mind, a fundamental lesson of Afghanistan is that NATO can take on the toughest operation in the world, maintain its unity, and its cohesion, and its strength, over years, in the most challenging conditions."

Rasmussen, whose appearance came under the auspices of the university and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, noted that at the end of this year NATO members will agree to a new strategic concept document that will guide the organization for the next decade. (With Inputs from Agencies)