Mission overview
Missions in the year 2007
Lebanon: SRSA/UNIFIL
Bosnia: EUPM
Afghanistan: KAIA, ISAF HQ, Chagcharan PRT
Sri Lanka: SLMM
Iraq: NATO Training Mission
Serbia: UNIFEM
Macedonia: UNIFEM
Palestine: UNICEF
Sudan: WFP
Armenia, Albania,Kazakhstan and Ukraine: OSCE election monitoring
Note - An overview of some of the missions and international cooperation the ICRU participates in can be seen on the web page of Iceland's first time candidacy for a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Afghanistan
Iceland’s participation in peacebuilding and reconstruction in Afghanistan is one of the major long-term projects of the Iceland Crisis Response Unit. Iceland contributes personnel for KAIA and ISAF HQ in Kabul and the PRT in Chaghcharan. Currently there are 15 Icelanders deployed in Afghanistan. The personnel at KAIA carry out various support and management functions. At ISAF headquarters Iceland contributes a public information officer as well as a member of staff of the Senior Civilian Representative and a political advisor. The PRT teams consist of surveillance and development officers.
Sri Lanka
The Iceland Crisis Response Unit participates in the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission or SLMM in partnership with Norway and it is the second major long-term project the unit participates in. The mission is to monitor a 2002 ceasefire agreement between Sri Lankan authorities and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Currently there are 10 Icelanders deployed in Sri Lanka.
Lebanon
A paramedic is deployed in South Lebanon where he works as a medical coordinater for the Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA).
Palestine
The Iceland Crisis Response Unit and UNICEF worldwide have signed a cooperation agreement. Under the framework of agreement one Icelander has been deployed as a child protection officer in Palestine. The officer participates in UNICEF’s program in Palestine which strives at securing a stable environment for the children of Palestine. The assignment is to teach and train personnel and parents, assist in counseling the goverment and its various institutions on the implementation of the program, gathering data and information and more. The officer is situated in Jerusalem.
www.unicef.org/oPt/overview_853.html
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Two police officers have recently been deployed in Bosnia, working with the European Union Police Mission (EUPM). The Iceland Crisis Response Unit has supported the EUPM since its establishment in 2003.
Serbia
Since the beginning of 2006, Iceland has manned the position of gender equality advisor for UNIFEM’s special project in Central and Eastern Europe with a focus on the Balkans. The project is intended to support peacebuilding efforts in the region, strengthen democratic governance and engourage the integration of equality aspects into the administration and infrastructure.
Macedonia
The ICRU deployed a second gender quality advisor to the UNIFEM special project in Central and Eastern Europe in mid-2007. The advisor is based in Skopje.
www.unifem.org/worldwide/europe_cis.php
Liberia
Iceland contributes a seconded Junior Professional Officer to UNIFEM in Liberia.
Election monitoring
For some years Iceland has participated in election monitoring with OSCE in accordance with their election assistance project. Each year individuals are sent to participate in election monitoring on various locations. This year personnel have been sent to Armenia, Albania, Kazahkstan and Ukraine, with Russian election monitoring planned for December.