More Swedes deployed to UN missions through the FBA

The FBA is now deploying more Swedes to various UN missions than the agency has done before. “UN is the most important global actor for peace and security. The UN deployments are part of the FBA’s contribution to strengthen the UN and the organization’s work in conflict-ridden countries”, says Anna Wikner, deputy head of the FBA’s unit for recruitment to international peace missions.

Recruiting and deploying civilian personnel to international peace missions that Sweden contributes to form part of the core activities of the FBA. Since the start of the agency in 2002 the majority of the deployed personnel have been seconded to missions led by the EU and OSCE.

But now the FBA is deploying a growing number of Swedes to civilian UN missions. During the year of 2016, the FBA will more than double the number of Swedes deployed to UN missions.

– We currently have civilian experts working in UN missions in Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia, at the UN headquarters in New York, at the UNDP Geneva office, at the UN office in Ukraine, and at the office of the UN special envoy for Sahel, based in Senegal, says Anna Wikner.
– We also soon expect to have experts stationed in Nigeria, Kenya and Myanmar.

The deployed personnel occupy positions such as political advisers, rule of law advisers, peace and development experts, and advisers on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants.

– The FBA also has several ongoing and upcoming UN recruitments. The Swedish government has clearly expressed a wish to strengthen the role of Sweden in the UN, and Sweden will be a member of the UN Security Council 2017–2018. The FBA recruitments contribute to this, and to fulfil the UN’s needs of experts within the field of peace and security, Anna Wikner continues.

– FBA is a well-known actor, and our deployed experts are much appreciated in the UN missions. They are doing a very important job for worldwide peace and security.

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Linnéa Lindberg is on secondment from the FBA to the UN in Myanmar, where she works as adviser.

Photo: UN Photo/Shareef Sarhan

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