Margareta Wahlström

Margareta Wahström is former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Wahlström and former President of the Swedish Red Cross.

She has 35 years of extensive experience in disaster relief operations and disaster risk management in relation to development and political work with the United Nations, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the private sector.

In 2009-2015 she was the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Head of UNISDR, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Under Wahlström’s leadership UNISDR designed and supported the inclusive consultations for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, and subsequently the inter-governmental negotiations leading to the adoption of the framework by all UN member states in March 2015. The Sendai Framework is the first of the 2015 global policy directions for the coming 15 years.

Geographic expertise

Afghanistan
Lebanon
Palestine
The Philippines
Southern Africa
South America

Topical expertise

Conflict and non-conflict emergencies
Long-term issues of sustainable development

Languages

Swedish
English
French
Spanish

Research on local communities' resilience when climate change sparks conflict

International organizations such as the UN, EU, and OECD have highlighted the intensified connection between environmental change and conflict. Rapid environmental changes have severe consequences for countries at war or in post-conflict phases. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in his New Agenda for Peace, noted that climate change creates social dynamics that heighten tensions and escalate violent conflicts. "Maria Martin de Almagro Iniesta is a member of FBA's International Research Working Group and studies the impact of climate change on local communities in the conflict-affected eastern DR Congo.

2024-08-13 10:02

Read our publications

Guide to Peacemaking Using Islamic Principles

"Guide to Peacemaking Using Islamic Principles" is a pioneering resource that bridges the gap between traditional Islamic teachings and contemporary peacebuilding strategies. Aimed at international mediators, diplomats, and policymakers, it identifies the commonalities and delves into the synergies between Islamic values and international norms, offering insights and strategies to enhance peace processes around the globe.

Documents

More Publications

On international deployment

Teresa Wiklund

Monitor at EUMM in Georgia

Kajsa Norman

Election observer

Catalina Perdomo Rodriguez

Adviser to the UN in Colombia

Karolina Riedel

Statistician in election observation missions

Björn Tedeman

Election observer

THE FBA BLOG

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Posted by Marie Blomdahl
A safe online space to share experiences to support leadership in the UN

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When I joined the Leadership and Cooperation Unit at the Folke Bernadotte Academy in August 2018, after working many years mainly in the private sector, I had a feeling that this job really would offer me an opportunity to use my skills and experiences to make a difference, and at the same time grow as a professional. FBA was at the time already working actively with leadership development support for leaders in key functions within the ... Read entire post »
2021-06-03 10:54
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Posted by Rhodri Williams
Civil Society as a Critical Partner: Rule of Law and Accountability in the Liberian COVID-19 Response, Part II

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Part One of this post highlighted the importance of the rule of law in supporting crisis response in countries struggling with the effects of conflict. One of the most important rule of law principles in such settings is accountability, particularly “downward accountability”, in which state authorities focus on serving citizens dependent on them.

Corruption and poor governance can lead to excessive upward accountability directed toward political superiors, leaving a gap between the state and ordinary citizens. Civil ... Read entire post »

The post Civil Society as a Critical Partner: Rule of Law and Accountability in the Liberian COVID-19 Response, Part II first appeared on FBA-bloggen.
2021-02-15 13:43
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Posted by Kristin Valasek
Time for a joint vision on gender-responsive leadership

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Right before the winter break, 236 women and men from 105 different organizations and 46 countries around the world joined our International Dialogue on Gender-Responsive Leadership, to discuss an absolutely critical and often missing part of the gender equality puzzle: gender-responsive leadership.

After twenty years of struggling to achieve the commitments of the global women, peace and security agenda, we at the FBA have learned that executives and managers are essential to success. Not just as supporters, ... Read entire post »

The post Time for a joint vision on gender-responsive leadership first appeared on FBA-bloggen.
2021-02-10 16:09

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Margareta Wahlström

Geographic expertise

Topical expertise

Languages

Research on local communities' resilience when climate change sparks conflict

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Read our publications

Guide to Peacemaking Using Islamic Principles