The signing of a peace agreement for Darfur represents a clear step forward, and the initiatives now being taken to deploy a UN force in the area is greatly welcomed by the Nordic defence ministers.

The defence ministers discussed ways in which the Nordic countries acting together could contribute to the strengthening of the UN’s ability to plan and lead increasingly complex peace operations. A joint Nordic package of measures has been devised to identify areas in which the Nordic countries can assist the UN in the ongoing process of reform. This involves a range of areas including the planning, the development of a better command and control structure, intelligence and aspects of personnel safety.

Another theme addressed at the meeting was that referred to as ‘defence and security sector reform’ in unstable states and partner countries where democratic control of the armed forces is a central issue.

The defence ministers discussed a Nordic-Baltic initiative towards Ukraine involving cooperation in three areas: an offer of an Internet-based learning system (already used in the training of Baltic officers and officials), expert professional help in such areas as defence policy, judicial questions, budgetary control and financial management, and teaching support for the National Defence Academy in Kiev.

The Nordic defence ministers pledged their support for the work now being done to revise the overall framework, as well as the appointed tasks, for NORDCAPS (Nordic Coordinated Arrangement for Military Peace Support) which is an instrument for the coordination of Nordic contributions to peace support operations. The changes include increased focus on support for the UN and security sector reform, including joint Nordic support for Ukraine and countries in the Balkans. The changes also mean that the joint Nordic force register will be discontinued as will work on a joint Nordic brigade staff. This will make NORDCAPS more flexible and more relevant to today’s challenges, which in turn will result in a strengthening of Nordic defence cooperation.

This was the first time that the Nordic defence ministers had met on Svalbard and the actual meeting in Longyearbyen was preceded by a visit to the world’s most northerly permanent settlement in Ny-Ålesund. The delegations were also given a briefing on board CGV Svalbard on the work of the Norwegian Coast Guard in the northern areas.

Pictures from the meeting on Svalbard can be obtained free of charge from Scanpix.