DOCSLIB.ORG

Balancing Act – Norwegian Security Policy, Strategy and Military Posture

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Balancing Act – Norwegian Security Policy, Strategy and Military Posture ISBN 978-91-7566-956-4 May 2013 SUMMARY: Norway has important interests, especi- than many NATO member states, which This paper discusses Norway’s security ally in the north, that are not necessarily have optimised their force structures policy and military posture as it has shared by its allies or partners. This means for international operations. Moreover, developed in the past two decades, with that Norway needs a military capability to because crises related to disputes at sea a particular emphasis on the relationship handle crises on its own. Accordingly, the are seen as far more likely than an invasion between national interests and military Norwegian Armed Forces have maintained of the mainland, the air force and the navy posture and strategy, Swedish-Norwegian a broader range of military capabilities have suffered far fewer cuts than the army. relations and Nordic-Baltic security. Balancing act – Norwegian security policy, strategy and military posture BY: STÅLE ULRIKSEN In February 2013, General Sverker both Sweden and Norway during the Norway lives off the Sea. Its economy Göranson, the Swedish Chief of De- Cold War, both generals were un- and welfare depend heavily on oil, fence, stated that if Sweden was ever doubtedly right. Even so, both state- gas and fish, and on the advanced invaded, the country would be able to ments caused huge controversy. From maritime industries that support and defend itself for one week. Thereafter, my perspective, the public reaction to supply these fields both at home and according to Aftonbladet, the general the generals’ frustrated outbursts was abroad. Norway controls areas of sea hoped for help from Norway.1 In Janu- far more interesting than the state- seven times the size of its land territo- ary 2008, General Robert Mood, at ments themselves. ry. The successful management of fish- the time chief of the Norwegian Army, This paper discusses Norway’s eries in Norwegian waters stands in held that the army was only capable of security policy and military posture sharp contrast to the tragic depletion defending a single district of Oslo, or a as it has developed in the past two of fish stocks elsewhere. The enforce- line 5 kilometres in length.2 Assuming decades, with a particular emphasis ment of Norwegian sovereignty and an opposition with capabilities even on the relationship between national law in these areas, as well as respon- slightly similar to the threats faced by interests and military posture and sibility for environmental protection strategy, Swedish-Norwegian relations and search and rescue, are important 1 “ÖB: ’Sverige kan försvara sig en vecka’”, and Nordic-Baltic security. day-to-day tasks of the Norwegian Aftonbladet 13.01.2013, Downloaded Armed Forces. While Norway’s most April 2013 from http://www.aftonbladet. Norwegian interests and important maritime interests are se/nyheter/article16013259.ab security policy coastal and local, the country also has 2 “Hæren kan bare forsvare én Oslo-bydel”, Seven simple propositions go a long strong global maritime interests. Nor- Verdens Gang 28.01.2008. Downloaded way towards explaining Norwegian wegian shipowners control the sixth April 2013 from http://www.vg.no/nyhe- ter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=503300 security and defence policy: largest merchant fleet in the world. Frivärld · May 2013 1 May 2013 Norwegian companies are increasingly The Norwegian military Norway. Instead it states that Rus- involved in the production of and posture in the high north is sia is likely to prioritise international providing support services to offshore not based on fear. It is better cooperation and avoid militarisation oil and gas all over the world. explained as an acceptance in the high north. Norway and Russia After decades of dispute and ne- of the truth of the statement have developed a cooperative, if not gotiations, an agreement setting the that ‘good fences make good always friendly, modus of coexist- maritime border between Russia and neighbours’. ence in their high-north neighbour- Norway took effect on 7 June 2011. It hood. To a certain extent Norway and settled one of Norway’s two remaining Norway is an Arctic country with Russia have common interests in the important geopolitical challenges. The strong interests in the high north. In a region, especially in the management second challenge, the as yet unresolved geopolitical sense Norway stands with of fisheries. However, there is a broad dispute between Norway and many one foot in a thoroughly regulated consensus in Norway that the country other states over the status of the wa- European park which to a large extent must be able to back up its policies ters around the Svalbard archipelago, may be defined as a security commu- with force if necessary. The Norwegian is probably the single most important nity and an area where war between military posture in the high north is issue of Norwegian foreign policy. The states is more or less unthinkable. The not based on fear. It is better explained special status of Svalbard is regu- other foot is placed in the cold wilder- as an acceptance of the truth of the lated by a treaty of 1920, which gives ness of the high north. The high north statement that ‘good fences make good Norway sovereignty over the islands is not unregulated, but it is not a secu- neighbours’. but any signatory to that treaty equal rity community. In the European park Norway is highly dependent on the ex- rights to conduct business there. The states do not reinforce policy towards isting world order. Norwegian foreign treaty also defines Svalbard as a demil- each other with displays of military policy is geared towards the promotion itarised zone. Some signatories to the power. In the high north they do. of a rules-based international order. treaty hold that it should be extended This does not mean that Norwe- This is not just words or values-based to an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) gians fear a Russian invasion. Such rhetoric. Norwegian control of its of 200 nautical miles (nm) around scenarios have not been part of EEZs and continental shelf is based the Islands. Norway’s position is that Norwegian defence planning since on the UNCLOS, which in turn is the area in question, beyond the 12 2002. In 2013 the Norwegian Intelli- based on the UN and international nm that defines the territorial waters gence Service expressed some concern society at large. Norway is therefore of Svalbard, is part of the Norwegian regarding political developments in a very strong supporter of the UN, continental shelf and thus, according Russia and recognised Russia’s grow- and it was the fourth largest financial to the United Nations Convention of ing military capabilities.3 However, the contributor, in absolute terms and by the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), under report does not see Russia as a threat far the largest per capita, to the UN Norwegian jurisdiction. The area is or as having hostile intentions towards system in 2010.4 currently defined by Norway as a fish stock protection zone, which is one 3 “Fokus 2013” , Etteretningstjenestens step removed from a regular EEZ. vurdering. Available at http://forsvaret.no/ 4 After the USA, Japan and the UK. Norway om-forsvaret/organisasjon/felles/etjenes- and Sweden together would have ranked ten/Documents/FOKUS-2013.pdf second Frivärld · May 2013 2 May 2013 Norwegian security policy depends on the question of whether the NATO In spite of this fact, Norway is strongly the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation security guarantee is still credible in integrated into EU structures through (NATO). In 1940 both the Norwe- practical military terms. the European Economic Area and the gian Armed Forces and the country’s The USA is Norway’s most important Schengen agreements. Norway con- traditional politics of neutrality were ally. The military relationship between tributes large sums to the EU every crushed as German troops invaded Norway and the USA goes far beyond year and has implemented more EU and occupied Norway. During the the fact that both are members of directives than many of its member Second World War new forces were NATO. Norway deployed forces to states. Europe is obviously important built in the United Kingdom, the Afghanistan and Iraq to honour that to Norway: some 85% of Norwegian United States and Canada, and strong relationship and to be seen as a good exports went to EU member states in political and military ties were built ally in Washington. A NATO without March 2013.5 with the Western powers. Some traits the USA might not be totally impo- Norway is strongly Scandinavian of neutrality remained, however, and tent, but it will certainly be a far less and Nordic, but Norway is not a Baltic NATO forces were not permanently credible military force. While Norway power. The Nordic states, and Sweden stationed in Norway during the Cold would prefer NATO to focus on the in particular, are important to Norway War. At that time it was very impor- defence of its member states, it cannot economically, culturally and in terms tant to be able to secure and train ignore US repositioning towards Asia. of shared values and common perspec- reinforcements for Norway at times of Norwegians have not yet debated tives on the main issues in internation- crisis or war. NATO is still of fun- what this means for NATO and for al politics. In terms of Nordic- Baltic damental importance to Norwegian Norway’s security. If the USA were to security, however, it is important to security policy and defence planning. make a request for Norwegian forces note that for Norway the Barents Sea to participate in a future conflict in is far more important than the Baltic Asia, for instance, what would the Sea.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Luftmaktstenkningens «Enfant Terrible» Luftkrigsskolens Skriftserie Vol
    Luftmaktstenkningens «enfant terrible» Luftkrigsskolens skriftserie Vol. 26 Andre utgivelser i skriftserien: Vol. 1 Luftforsvaret – et flerbruksverktøy for den kalde krigen? (1999) Øistein Espenes og Nils Naastad. Vol. 2 Aspekter ved konflikt og konflikthåndtering i Kosovo (2000) Gunnar Fermann Vol. 3 Nytt NATO – nytt Luftforsvar?: GILs luftmaktseminar 2000 (2000) Lars Fredrik Moe Øksendal (red.) Vol. 4 Luftkampen sett og vurdert fra Beograd (2000) Ljubisa Rajik Vol. 5 Luftforsvaret i fremtiden: nisjeverktøy for NATO eller multiverktøy for Norge? (2001) John Andreas Olsen Vol. 6 Litteratur om norsk luftfart før 2. verdenskrig: en oversikt og bibliografi (2001) Ole Jørgen Maaø Vol. 7 A critique of the Norwegian air power doctrine (2002) Albert Jensen og Terje Korsnes Vol. 8 Luftmakt, Luftforsvarets og assymetriens utfordringer. GILs luftmaktseminar 2002 (2002) Karl Erik Haug (red.) Vol. 9 Krigen mot Irak: noen perspektiver på bruken av luftmakt (2003) Morten Karlsen, Ole Jørgen Maaø og Nils Naastad Vol. 10 Luftmakt 2020: fremtidige konflikter. GILs luftmaktseminar 2003 (2003) Karl Selanger (red.) Vol. 11 Luftforsvaret og moderne transformasjon: dagens valg, morgendagens tvangstrøye? (2003) Ole Jørgen Maaø (red.) Vol. 12 Luftforsvaret i krig: ledererfaringer og menneskelige betraktninger. GILs lederskapsseminar 2003 (2003) Bjørn Magne Smedsrud (red.) Vol. 13 Strategisk overraskelse sett i lys av Weserübung, Pearl Harbor og Oktoberkrigen (2005) Steinar Larsen Vol. 14 Luftforsvaret i Kongo 1960–1964 (2005) Ståle Schirmer-Michalsen (red.) Vol. 15 Luftforsvarets helikopterengasjement i internasjonale operasjoner: et historisk tilbakeblikk (2005) Ståle Schirmer-Michalsen Vol. 16 Nytt kampfly – Hvilket og til hva? GILs luftmaktseminar 2007 (2007) Torgeir E. Sæveraas (red.) Vol. 17 Trenchard and Slessor: On the Supremacy of Air Power over Sea Power (2007) Gjert Lage Dyndal Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • English in the Armed Forces Grammar, Rules and Tips for Public Texts in the Norwegian Armed Forces
    English in the Armed Forces Grammar, rules and tips for public texts in the Norwegian Armed Forces English in the Armed Forces In this publication you will find grammar, rules and tips for written English in the Norwegian Armed Forces. These recommendations apply to all public texts in the Armed Forces – including publications, letters, presentations, folders, CVs, biographies, social media and videos. The Norwegian Armed Forces Media Centre, November 2020 Table of contents 1. Main principles page 3 2. Numbers and dates page 4 3. Capitalisation page 5 4. Singular or plural? page 6 5. Signs and punctuations page 7 6. Military vocabulary pages 8–9 2 1. Main principles Our written language is standard, modern British English. As a general rule, the first spelling on the Oxford Dictionaries website should be followed. An exception to this rule is the spelling of '-iz-' words (see below). This written English conforms to the standard used by large institutions like the BBC and the European Union. British English Examples: programme (not program) centre (not center) harbour (not harbor – except fixed names like Pearl Harbor) neighbour (not neighbor) defence (not defense) mobile phone (not cell phone) aircraft, aeroplane (not airplane) tonnes (not tons) metres (not meter – except parking meter, etc.) kilograms (not kilogrammes) -is- / -iz- spelling Both spellings are correct, but use the -is- spelling for the sake of consistency in our texts. This is also in accordance with the EU and the BBC. Examples: organisation (not organization – except fixed names: North Atlantic Treaty Organization) globalisation (not globalization) to organise (not to organize) to recognise (not to recognize) to analyse (not to analyze) Resources: Oxford Dictionaries: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/ EU Spelling Conventions: http://publications.europa.eu/code/en/en-4100000.htm 3 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Timeline of International Response to the Situation in Syria
    Timeline of International Response to the Situation in Syria Beginning with dates of a few key events that initiated the unrest in March 2011, this timeline provides a chronological list of important news and actions from local, national, and international actors in response to the situation in Syria. Skip to: [2012] [2013] [2014] [2015] [2016] [Most Recent] Acronyms: EU – European Union PACE – Parliamentary Assembly of the Council CoI – UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria of Europe FSA – Free Syrian Army SARC – Syrian Arab Red Crescent GCC – Gulf Cooperation Council SASG – Special Adviser to the Secretary- HRC – UN Human Rights Council General HRW – Human Rights Watch SES – UN Special Envoy for Syria ICC – International Criminal Court SOC – National Coalition of Syrian Revolution ICRC – International Committee of the Red and Opposition Forces Cross SOHR – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights IDPs – Internally Displaced People SNC – Syrian National Council IHL – International Humanitarian Law UN – United Nations ISIL – Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant UNESCO – UN Educational, Scientific and ISSG – International Syria Support Group Cultural Organization JSE – UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy to UNGA – UN General Assembly Syria UNHCR – UN High Commissioner for LAS – League of Arab States Refugees NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization UNICEF – UN Children’s Fund OCHA – UN Office for the Coordination of UNRWA – UN Relief Works Agency for Humanitarian Affairs Palestinian Refugees OIC – Organization of Islamic Cooperation UNSC – UN Security Council OHCHR – UN Office of the High UNSG – UN Secretary-General Commissioner for Human Rights UNSMIS – UN Supervision Mission in Syria OPCW – Organization for the Prohibition of US – United States Chemical Weapons 2011 2011: Mar 16 – Syrian security forces arrest roughly 30 of 150 people gathered in Damascus’ Marjeh Square for the “Day of Dignity” protest, demanding the release of imprisoned relatives held as political prisoners.
    [Show full text]
  • The Recycling Lottery the Recycling Lottery - Annual Report 2018
    ANNUAL REPORT 2018 THE RECYCLING LOTTERY THE RECYCLING LOTTERY - ANNUAL REPORT 2018 The Recycling Lottery 2018 Lottery share Contribution to Red Cross 30% in top store The Red Cross’s annual income from 983 369 49 The Recycling Lottery has risen sharply since the start, and amounted to NOK NOK 50 million in 2018. 50 million 893 170 37 NOK Contribution to Red Cross in 2018 32 091 111 29 891 048 29 NOK 26 241 455 241 26 NOK 23 800 370 NOK NOK 18 523 840 18 523 NOK 250 million 611 12 423 Contribution to Red Cross since 2008 NOK 7 784 657 7 784 4 914 206 NOK 928 543 928 NOK NOK NOK 415,914 Lottery turnover in top store 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2 An amazing anniversary 2018 turned into another amazing year for The Recycling Lottery, with record proceeds for the Red Cross. The Recycling Lottery celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2018. Since the start in 2008, proceeds from The Recycling Lottery have gone from modest to incredible. The deposit rates were also increased from NOK 1 and 2.50 to NOK 2 and 3 in 2018. This had a very positive impact on revenue, and we have seen growth in turnover of more than 40 per cent since September. At the end of 2018, the owners of the Norwegian Recycling Lottery decided to increase the proceeds for the cause from 50 per cent, after deductions for prizes, to 53.08 per cent. This means that we can now contribute a record NOK 50 million to the Red Cross for 2018.
    [Show full text]
  • The Fine Line Between Funny and Offensive Humour in a Total Institution
    The Fine Line between Funny and Offensive Humour in a Total Institution An Ethnographic Study of Joking Relationships among Army Soldiers By Thea Aspestrand Bjerke & Nina Rones A total institution (Goffman, 1961) is an isolated and enclosed place where a group of people work and live close together, and where most aspects of their daily lives are under bureaucratic control. Military camps are a classic example of a total institution. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this article explores how a unit of soldiers who live together in gender-mixed rooms in Army barracks in a rural place in northern Norway use humour to (1) cope with the deprivation of privacy, (2) negotiate their relations to each other (especially the opposite sex) and (3) handle their lower hierarchical position. It will be argued that the use of humour is an important coping mechanism that helps soldiers to deal with the special features of the total institution. It is used to “save face” in embarrassing situations where intimate limits are crossed, express disagreement and conflict with peers in a non-threatening way, maintain autonomy, and reduce the social distance from the non-commissioned officers. However, the use of humour leads to risky “joking relationships” (see Radcliff- Brown, 1952) in which the soldiers balance on a (very) fine line between what is funny and helpful for bonding and coping with the special situation, and what is insulting and offensive. By exploring the risky joking relationships that emerge in the context of a gender-mixed total institution, this article aims to gain a better understanding of a paradox found in previous research on military culture : namely, that humour is experienced as both a good and a bad feature of the military culture.
    [Show full text]
  • Gender-Mixed Army Dorm Rooms, 50% Women And
    Gender-Mixed Army Dorm Rooms, 50% Women and All-Female Special Forces Training : How Does Norway’s Radical Attempt to Integrate Women in the Military Work ? By Nina Rones Gender-mixed dormitory rooms have been introduced to ease the integration of female soldiers into the Norwegian Armed Forces. This has gained tremendous inter- national attention,1 while research has assigned several positive effects to such unisex rooms. In essence, researchers have argued that sharp distinctions and less understanding between men and women will ensue “if female soldiers live in their own barracks or serve in their own platoons” (Hellum, 2016, p.30) ; on the contrary, unisex rooms provide them with intense exposure to the opposite gender, thus promoting a gender-positive secondary socialization that will deemphasize gender differences as well as reduce sexual harassment and unwanted masculine behaviour.2 Intense exposure will allegedly change gender stereotypical prejudices and combat discriminatory attitudes towards female leaders.3 Also, findings such as less gossiping among girls and increased team cohesion, respect, tolerance and non-sexual camaraderie across genders are ascribed to the close contact that occurs between men and women in these rooms.4 Although these researchers seem to agree that gender-mixed rooms enhance gender equality in male-dominated military organizations, there is disagreement about the various methods used, the interpretation of shared findings, and the conclusions that can be drawn from them.5 In particular, Ellingsen and colleagues (2016) urge caution in elevating the apparent success of mixed rooms to a “grand theory” where the coming together of women and men will almost magically result in gender equality and de-sexualized relationships.
    [Show full text]
  • United Nations Peace Operations
    United Nations 2012 Peace Operations Cover photos (clockwise from top): A member of MINURSO’s Military Liaison Office chats with a group of local Western Saharans, June 2010. (UN Photo/Martine Perret) Crowds of locals surround the recently-dispatched UN monitoring team as they walk through the streets of Homs, Syria, April 2012. (UN Photo/Neeraj Singh) Women taking part in traditional dances in Dili, Timor-Leste. (UNMIT/Bernardino Soares) A Ghanaian peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, on guard duty during a visit by the Special Representative Karin Landgren, in Cestos City, Liberia, November 2012. (UNMIL/Staton Winter) 2 Year in Review 2012 Table of Contents Introduction: Evolving to meet new challenges 1 Interview: Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations 2 Interview: Ameerah Haq, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support 4 Interview: Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs 6 PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS MINURSO: Ensuring a path to safety 9 MINUSTAH: From reconstruction to stabilization 11 MONUSCO: Progress interrupted 13 UNAMID: Protection of civilians, peace process at the forefront 15 UNDOF: Challenged like never before 17 UNFICYP: A delicate balancing act in Cyprus 18 UNIFIL: Helping to stabilize a region in turmoil 20 UNISFA: Volatility to stability 22 UNMIK: Promoting dialogue and freedom of movement 24 UNMIL: Meeting challenges on the path to lasting peace 25 UNMISS: Ensuring the security of civilians 27 UNMIT: A story of successful cooperation 29 UNOCI: Scaling
    [Show full text]
  • Kvikk Lunsj Marks 75 Years
    (Periodicals postage paid in Seattle, WA) TIME-DATED MATERIAL — DO NOT DELAY Norwegian Heritage Special Feature World War II Norwegians on the Titanic through the eyes I april, i april Read more on pages 9 – 13 en dag dro min of a young girl plystrende venn forbi. Read more on page 18 – Dorothy Parker Norwegian American Weekly Vol. 123 No. 15 April 13, 2012 Established May 17, 1889 • Formerly Western Viking and Nordisk Tidende $1.50 per copy Norway.com News Find more at www.norway.com Kvikk Lunsj marks 75 years News Two of the five officers who Norway’s died when the Norwegian Air- favorite hiking force Hercules tranport plane crashed in Sweden on March 15 treat celebrates have been found and identified. The search has been ongoing its birthday ever since the crash, for the five officers onboard and for the so- called “black box,” despite dif- NRK ficult and dangerous conditions in the mountains. The large plane hit the mountan side, near the top, and the small pieces of At the Freia Factory in the wreckage was spread over Rodeløkka in Oslo, the machines a large area. The crash also re- are at full capacity. Each year ap- leased a large avalanche, which proximately 50 million Kvikk Lun- buried much of the larger parts sj are made here. of the wreck. The plane was on This year, the popular tursjoko- its way from Evenes in Norway laden (difficult to translate, but ba- to Kiruna in Sweden when it sically meaning that Kvikk Lunsj crashed. is the chocolate of choice to take (blog.norway.com/category/ on hiking and skiing trips) turns 75 news) years old, and currently sells more than ever.
    [Show full text]
  • Security Council Report
    SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT Monthly Aug 2012 1 August 2012 This report is available online and can beFORECAST viewed together with research studies and Update Reports at www.securitycouncilreport.org. For daily insights by SCR on evolving Security Council actions please subscribe to our “What’s In Blue” series at www.whatsinblue.org or follow @SCRtweets on Twitter. Overview Contents of This Issue France will preside over the Security Coun- Briefings in consultations are likely on: UNSMIS (Syria) 1 cil in August. n issues of concern, by the Department of Status Update since our July Political Affairs (reviving the practice of Forecast 2 There will be one debate during the month, “horizon scanning”); on Kosovo and the work of the UN Mission Lebanon 5 n Sudan and South Sudan, twice, by the in Kosovo (UNMIK). Sudan and South Sudan 6 Secretariat in line with resolution 2046 Briefings, to be followed by consultations, that calls for briefings every 15 days; Somalia 8 are expected on: n the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei Mali 10 (UNISFA) and the Secretary-General’s n the UN Supervision Mission in Syria Kosovo 12 (UNSMIS), most likely by the head of UN most recent report; DPRK (North Korea) 13 peacekeeping, Hervé Ladsous and pos- n the work of the UN Regional Centre for sibly also by the UN-Arab League Joint Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia UNRCCA (Central Asia) 15 Special Envoy Kofi Annan; (UNRCCA), by its head, Miroslav Jena; Notable Dates 16 n the Middle East, by the Secretariat; and and n options for possible steps to ensure the n the work of the Democratic People’s n Syria, prior to the 19 August expiry of the full restoration of constitutional order in Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions mandate of UNSMIS; and and territorial integrity of Mali, possibly Committee by its Chair, Ambassador n Somalia, right after the scheduled 20 the Deputy Secretary-General, and likely José Filipe Moraes Cabral (Portugal).
    [Show full text]
  • Transparency in the Selection and Appointment of Senior Managers in the United Nations Secretariat
    JIU/REP/2011/2 TRANSPARENCY IN THE SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF SENIOR MANAGERS IN THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT Prepared by M. Deborah Wynes Mohamed Mounir Zahran Joint Inspection Unit Geneva 2011 United Nations JIU/REP/2011/2 Original: ENGLISH TRANSPARENCY IN THE SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF SENIOR MANAGERS IN THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT Prepared by M. Deborah Wynes Mohamed Mounir Zahran Joint Inspection Unit United Nations, Geneva 2011 iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Transparency in the selection and appointment of senior managers in the United Nations Secretariat JIU/REP/2011/2 The report was prepared pursuant to paragraph 19 of General Assembly resolution 64/259, “Towards an accountability system in the United Nations Secretariat”, and will be submitted to the General Assembly at the main part of its sixty-sixth session. The objective of the study was to review the effectiveness, coherence, timeliness and transparency of the current selection and appointment processes of senior managers in the United Nations Secretariat and provide recommendations leading to enhanced transparency. For the purpose of this report, senior managers are defined as the Deputy Secretary-General, Under-Secretaries-General and Assistant Secretaries-General; the scope is limited to the United Nations Secretariat. Main findings and conclusions Member States are familiar with the process as outlined in the Secretary-General’s report on accountability (A/64/640) and for the most part, no major concerns were expressed with the description of the process itself. The concern is with the implementation of the process, which is seen as opaque, raising many questions as to how the process actually works.
    [Show full text]
  • Bios Speakers Round Table III Webinar
    43rd Sanremo Round Table on current issues of IHL III Webinar of the series Addressing the humanitarian consequences of urban warfare in the midst of the hostilities Robert Mood is a retired lieutenant general with extensive UN, National and NATO experience, currently President of the Norwegian Red Cross. During his military service in the Norwegian Army, he deployed to Lebanon within UNIFIL and Kosovo (KFOR and COMKFORs Command Group). Promoted to Brigadier, he took charge of the Combined Arms Training Centre in Norway. He was additionally appointed Head of Mission and Chief of Staff of UN Truce Supervision Organization with a regional role in the Middle East. From March 2012 to August 2012 Robert Mood established and headed the unarmed United Nations Supervision Mission on the ground in Syria during its 90 day mandated period to implement the six point proposal of Kofi Annan. While serving as head of UNTSO he was elected Dean of UN Force Commanders. Amina Azimi is an Advocacy and Gender Officer at the Afghan Landmine Survivors’ Organization (ALSO), in which he served as Executive Director in Kabul in 2015. Within the same organisation she also covered the position of project manager and community mobilizer in several programmes aimed at implementing the objectives of ALSO, namely promoting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities by advocating the Afghan decision makers to implement the victim assistance provisions of the Mine Ban Treaty and domestic laws and policies, and apply the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Convention on Cluster Munitions. Caroline Baudot is the Deputy Head of the Protection of Civilians Unit in ICRC based in Geneva.
    [Show full text]
  • IFS) Skippergata 17C, 0152 Oslo
    02 INSTITUTT FOR FORSVARSSTUDIER (IFS) Skippergata 17c, 0152 Oslo. Norge Institutt for forsvarsstudier (IFS) er en del av Forsvares høgskole (FHS). Som faglig uavhengig høgskole utøver FHS sin virksomhet i overensstemmelse med anerkjente vitenskapelige, pedagogiske og etiske prinsipper (jf. Lov om universi- teter og høyskoler § 1-5). Direktør: Professor Rolf Tamnes Oslo Files on Defence and Security tar sikte på å være et uformelt og fleksi- belt forum for studier innenfor instituttets arbeidsområder. Alle synspunkter, vurderinger og konklusjoner som fremkommer i denne publikasjonen, står for forfatteren(e)s egen regning. Hel eller delvis gjengivelse av innholdet kan bare skje med forfatterens samtykke. Redaktør: Anna Therese Klingstedt NORWEGIAN INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE STUDIES (IFS) Skippergata 17c, N-0152 Oslo. Norway The Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS) is a part of the Norwegian Defence University College (FHS). As an independent university college, FHS conducts its professional activities in accordance with recognised scientific, pe- dagogical and ethical principles (pursuant to the Act pertaining to Universities and University Colleges, section 1-5). Director: Professor Rolf Tamnes Oslo Files on Defence and Security aims to provide an informal and flexible forum for studies within the fields of activity of the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. All views, assessments and conclusions which appear in this publication are the author’s own. The author’s permission is required for any reproduction, wholly or in part, of the contents. Editor: Anna Therese Klingstedt INSTITUTT FOR FORSVARSSTUDIER (IFS) Skippergata 17c, 0152 Oslo. Norge Institutt for forsvarsstudier (IFS) er en del av Forsvares høgskole (FHS). Som faglig uavhengig høgskole utøver FHS sin virksomhet i overensstemmelse med anerkjente vitenskapelige, pedagogiske og etiske prinsipper (jf.
    [Show full text]