ICelanD S InteRnatIonal DeVeloPment CooPeRatIon

Transcription

1 ministry for foreign affairs & ICelanDIC InteRnatIonal DeVeloPment agency ICelanD S InteRnatIonal DeVeloPment CooPeRatIon Overview of Iceland s Development Cooperation 2009 and 2010 The Icelandic International Development Agency The United Nations University in Iceland Emergency and Humanitarian assistance Multilateral cooperation Working for Peace 2011

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Iceland s International Development Cooperation Statistical Information 2 Statistics on Iceland s ODA in 2010 further Insight 5 Multilateral Cooperation 6 The Icelandic International Development Agency 8 Working for Peace 10 The United Nations University in Iceland 16 Emergency and Humanitarian Assistance International Development Cooperation is one of the main pillars of Icelandic foreign policy. The fight against poverty, social injustice and inequality, and combatting world hunger, are the central pieces of our efforts. We furthermore focus on gender equality, peace and security, and areas where Icelandic specialization and knowledge provides the most value-added, such as fisheries and the harvesting of renewable energy. A couple of years ago, we were well on our way to join the group of countries that proportionally count among the most generous providers of official development aid. Our contributions, however, suffered the effects of the severe financial shocks of the fall of 2008 and were subject to cuts, especially when counted in currency. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Icelandic Development Agency have used this period to sharpen and focus our development cooperation policy and its implementation, and to enforce a new legislation on Iceland s International Development Cooperation. This report contains a comprehensive overview of all Iceland s development cooperation. It does not provide an exhaustive list of all development projects Iceland contributes to, but rather offers an insight to the multifaceted work on development cooperation, which consists of cooperation with partner countries, international organisations and funds, NGOs and Icelandic education- and scientific institutions. By examining statistics and projects transversally across organisations and development partners we obtain a more complete picture of our attribution to development. This is in the spirit of the four year development cooperation strategy I presented to Parliament in February 2011 and was adopted, with wide support, last June. With the aid of Parliament, the Council on International Development Cooperation and the Development Cooperation Committee, we will continue to work towards constantly bettering our efforts, improving results delivery and render our development cooperation ever stronger. Össur Skarphéðinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs

3 ICELAND S INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION Rethinking Development Cooperation On October 1, 2008, a new legislation; Act no. 121/2008 on Iceland s International Development Cooperation, entered into force, thereby replacing the former law on Iceland s bilateral development assistance dating since The new Act forms a basis for Iceland s international development cooperation. It introduces an holistic approach to development cooperation, covering all aspects of Icelandic ODA, as opposed to the former law which only dealt with bilateral development cooperation. The new legislation furthermore reflects the MDGs and other international declarations and commitments, it strengthens the role of the legislator in development policy-making and facilitates cooperation between civil society and the authorities. Act no. 121/2008 lays the foundations for a new framework for Icelandic ODA, according to which the fundamental objectives of Iceland s international development cooperation are supporting country-owned efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, promote economic and social development, including human rights, education, improved health, gender equality, sustainable development and the sustainable use of natural resources. These objectives also extend to ensuring security at the international level, e.g. by promoting and preserving peace, peace-building and peace-keeping, and by providing humanitarian assistance and emergency relief where needed. The Icelandic authorities have taken numerous steps to implement Act no. 121/2008 since its entry into force. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has introduced Regulation No. 894/2009 on the implementation of Act no. 121/2008. The Ministry s capacity has been strengthened by the establishment of special Directorate for Development Cooperation and furthermore a Steering Group on Development Cooperation anchored within the MFA has been set up to advise the Permanent Secretary in matters pertaining to the administration of ODA and international commitments relating to development cooperation. The Steering Group is composed of the Director General and other directors in the Directorate for Development Cooperation, the Director General for ICEIDA (The Icelandic International Development Agency) and the Permanent Secretary of the MFA, who also chairs the meetings of the Steering Group. Council on International Development Cooperation and Development Cooperation Committee Act no. 121/2008 also introduces a Development Cooperation Committee (DCD) composed of 7 members elected by Parliament and a Council on International Development Cooperation which consists of 17 members appointed by the Minister. Both bodies are mandated to give council on policy making decisions in the realm of development cooperation. The Council consists of the seven members of the DCD, as well as representatives from civil society, NGOs and academia, and representatives from the labour market. The Council forms a platform for those involved in development cooperation in Iceland to share their knowledge and experience, and provide input and guidance on development policy. The Council convened 4 times in to discuss the changes Act no. 121/2008 entails, as well as the government policy and prioritisation in development cooperation, CSO actions and the preparations for a strategy for Iceland s international development cooperation for the next four years. Strategy for International Development Cooperation The Minister for Foreign Affairs holds the responsibility for Iceland s international development cooperation. ICEIDA is a separate institution under the auspices of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The MFA also represents Iceland in multilateral organisations as relates to humanitarian and emergency assistance and Iceland s contribution to peace-keeping and peacebuilding. Around 40% of Icelandic ODA is channelled through ICEIDA, which is responsible for Iceland s bilateral development cooperation as mandated by the Minister in accordance with the long-term strategy on international development cooperation. Act no. 121/2008 stipulates that every 2 years the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall submit a proposal for a parliamentary resolution concerning the Strategy for Iceland s International Development Cooperation for a four-year period. The Strategy shall i.a. cover all contributions to international development cooperation and how they are divided between Iceland s long- and shortterm policy objectives. In 2010 the Strategy for Iceland s International Development Cooperation was discussed by both the DCD and the Council for International Development Cooperation. It was approved by the parliament in June

4 Statistical information STATISTICS ON ICELAND S ODA IN 2010 Iceland s Official Development Assistance (ODA) gradually increased from , when it almost quadrupled in US dollars 1 (more than quintupled in Icelandic krona) going from 10.1 million US$ to 36.9 million US$. When calculated as percentage of Gross National Income (GNI), Icelandic ODA went from 0.12% in 2000 to 0.35% in In 2010, ODA decreased prom the previous year, and amounted to 29 million US$, or 0.28% of GNI 2. Icelandic ODA is allocated to developing countries through the Icelandic International Development Agency, multilateral institutions, Non-Governmental Organisations and through the work of the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit. In 2010, Iceland s contributions to multilateral organisations amounted to almost half of total ODA (46%), thereof 25% as core contributions and 21% as earmarked contributions. Around 51% of the earmarked contributions were earmarked towards certain countries or regions and 49% towards sectors. Further information on Iceland s cooperation with multilateral institutions can be found on page 5. The work of the Iceland Crisis Response Unit (ICRU) in the field of peace-building and reconstruction in conflict-affected countries consists of contributions to multilateral organisations and secondment of civilian experts to the field. In 2010, the work of the ICRU amounted to 11% of total ODA. Further information on ICRU s work can be found on pages 8-9. The Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA) is responsible for Iceland s bilateral development cooperation and allocates around 41% of total ODA. Iceland s partner countries were six in 2009: Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Namibia, 21% Nicaragua and Sri Lanka. In recent years, partner countries have been cut down by three and in 2011 Iceland will have three partner countries: Malawi, Mozambique and Uganda. Furthermore, a geothermal development project in Nicaragua will be continued until the end of year Further information on ICEIDA s work can be found on pages 6-7. Emergency and humanitarian assistance amounted to around 11% of total ODA, and is either allocated to multilateral institutions or NGOs. Further information on Iceland s emergency and humanitarian assistance can be found on page % 21% 11% 11% 10% 6% 6% ICELANDIC ODA DIVISION BY TYPE OF AID 25% 36% 25% 37% ICELANDIC ODA DIVISION BY UNITS 37% 37% Bilateral through ICEIDA 25% CORE CONTRIBUTIONS TO MULTILATERAL ORGANISATIONS 37% ICEIDA 21% EARMARKED CONTRIBUTIONS TO MULTILATERAL ORGANISATIONS AND NGOS 11% Emergency and humanitarian assistance 6% Administration cost (MFA, ICEIDA) 36% MFA Multilateral organisations 11% MFA UNU in Iceland 10% MFA - ICRU 6% Administration cost (MFA, ICEIDA) 1. All amounts in US$ in this report are based on average exchange rates, which are for 2000, for 2009 and for

5 Total ODA in thousands of US$ and as % of GNI United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10, UNSCR resolution 1325 was unanimously adopted by the Security Council on 30th October, The resolution was a milestone in the history of the Council, whereas this was the first time the Security Council acknowledged the importance of women s contribution to peace. Moreover, the Resolution demands the protection of women and girls in conflict zones, and that their rights are honoured and their needs tended to Total ODA - in thousand US$ 2004 Bilateral Development Cooperation 3 % of GNI Around 72% of Icelandic ODA is defined as bilateral cooperation and is either allocated to ICEIDA, multilateral institutions or NGOs. In this chapter we take a closer look where these funds are going. By Income Group 4 Over half of Icelandic bilateral ODA (54%) goes to the Least Developed Countries. Belonging to that group are four of Iceland s focus countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Afghanistan, along with Haiti which received emergency assistance from Iceland in the beginning of Bilateral ODA to Other Low- Income Countries amounts to 3%, where emergency assistance to Pakistan following the floods in the summer of 2010 counts the highest. Around 20% is allocated to Lower Middle-Income Countries which includes Namibia, Nicaragua, Palestine and the Western Balkans. Around 16% of Iceland s bilateral ODA is unallocated to specific countries, but is instead earmarked towards specific sectors. By Region As can be seen in the graphs on the following page, the largest part of Icelandic bilateral ODA is allocated to Sub-Saharan Africa (55%). Around 8% goes to Latin America and the Caribbean, 6% to the Middle East and 8% to South Asia. The four largest recipients in 2010 are Iceland s bilateral partner countries. Uganda is largest with 2.97 million US$ and Malawi second with 2.63 million. Iceland allocated 2.04 million US$ to 0 UNSCR 1325 emphasises that women and gender equality play a crucial role in building peace and security at the international level. According to the Resolution, member states shall prepare National Action Plans for the implementation of the resolution, and Iceland was among the first states to prepare such a plan. The Security Council has adopted four Resolutions which support the implementation of UNSCR UN Security Council Resolution 1820 addresses the problem of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war, Resolution 1888 sharpens the responsibilities of peacekeeping missions in protecting women and girls against sexual and gender-based violence, and Resolution 1889 reaffirms the importance of considering women as necessary agents for creating sustainable peace and security. The most recent Resolution no was adopted in 2010 and reaffirms that action against sexual and gender-based violence must be reinforced. The Resolution emphasises the importance of ending impunity and to increasingly prosecute those responsible for all types of violent crimes. 2. Based on Statistics Iceland s preliminary economic forecast for 2010, from 8. March Discrepancy in numbers on administration cost and emergency and humanitarian assistance is because this part of the chapter only covers bilateral ODA but the first part covers all ODA, both multilateral and bilateral. 4. Based on the OECD/DAC s list of ODA Recipients. 3

6 Statistical information Namibia, and 2 million to Mozambique. A further 720 thousand dollars were allocated to geothermal development in Nicaragua. Towards reconstruction in Afghanistan, Iceland allocated 1.27 million US$. Just under 480 thousand US$ were allocated to the Western Balkans and support to Palestinian refugees amounted to 850 thousand. Just 16% over 800 thousand were allocated to emergency assistance in Haiti and 530 thousand towards UNICEF s project in Guinea-Bissau. 20% By Sector Over half of bilateral ODA (56%), goes towards strengthening social infrastructure, in the field of education, health, water and sanitation, government and civil society and peace and security, together with human rights and gender equality. Of the 11% which are allocated towards human rights and gender equality, 9% have gender equality as a primary objective. Gender mainstreaming is furthermore emphasised when preparing and implementing projects in other sectors. Allocations to projects in the fisheries sector amounted to 14% and to the energy sector 6%. Further 12% were allocated to emergency and humanitarian assistance, and administrative cost amounted to 7%. 8% 8% 7% 13% 7% 3% 6% 3% Icelandic ODA Division by income group 54% Least Developed Countries 54% Icelandic ODA Division by Region 20% Lower Middle- Income Countries 16% Unallocated 7% Administrative Cost 3% Other Low-Income 55% Sub-Saharan Africa 55% 13% Unallocated 8% Latin America and Caribbean 8% South Asia 7% Administrative Cost 6% Middle-East 3% Eastern-Europe Top Ten Recipients of Icelandic Bilateral ODA in 2010 In thousands of US$ 2010 Uganda Malawi Namibia Mozambique Afghanistan Palestine Haiti Nicaragua Guinea-Bissau Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia % 8% 7% 8% 6% 8% 5% Icelandic ODA Division by sector 11% 14% 12% 14% Fisheries 14% 14% Education 12% Emergency and Humanitarian Assistance 11% Gender Equality / Human Rights 8% Health 8% Other Social Infrastructure 8% Water and Sanitation 7% Administration Cost 7% Peace and Security 6% Energy 5% Other 4

7 Further Insight MULTILATERAL COOPERATION Support to international organisations and projects under their auspices are part of the Directorate s for International Development responsibility. The support includes both core and earmarked contributions. About 65% of these contributions are allocated to UN agencies and funds, 24% to the World Bank and 11% to projects by other international organisations. The United Nations Support and cooperation with UN agencies is the most extensive part of Iceland s multilateral development cooperation, as 65% of contributions to international organizations is allocated to the UN. The 23% Icelandic government places a particular emphasis on cooperation with agencies which reflect Iceland s goals, and three of them are key organizations in Iceland s international development cooperation: UNICEF, UN Women and UNU. UNICEF Support to UNICEF consists of both core and earmarked contributions. UNICEF s activities in Palestine have been strengthened as a part of the government s emphasis on the Middle East. Icelandic civilian experts have also worked on temporary projects under the auspices of the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit for UNCIEF in the region. The government, in cooperation with the National Committee of UNICEF in Iceland, also supported a health project in the West African state of Guinea Bissau. In 2010, Iceland had a seat on UNICEF s executive board. UN Women (previously UNIFEM) Iceland s contribution to UN Women is both in terms of core funding as well as earmarked to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. Contributions have furthermore been allocated to projects in Afghanistan, Palestine and the Balkan Peninsula. Icelandic experts have been seconded to UNIFEM in the Balkans, Liberia, Barbados and at the 11% 24% Multilateral cooperation Division by organisation 42% United Nations 42% 24% World Bank 23% UNU Training Programs in Iceland 11% Other agency s headquarters. There is furthermore an effective partnership between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the National Committee of UN Women in Iceland, sealed in 2010 with an extended 3 year partnership agreement between the two parties. Other UN agencies Iceland also supports other UN agencies which all play a key role in international development cooperation and emergency- and humanitarian assistance, such as UNDP, UNRWA, UNFPA, UNHCR, WFP and FAO. The World Bank Collaboration with the World Bank is founded on Iceland s contribution to the International Development Association (IDA) and support to individual funds and projects within the Bank. The government places particular emphasis on projects in the areas of geothermal energy, fisheries and gender equality, besides contributing to a Nordic trust fund with the goal of advancing knowledge on human rights within the Bank. Gender Equality within the World Bank In September 2006, the World Bank launched an action plan for gender equality with the objective of advancing women s economic empowerment to promote shared growth in developing countries and thereby uphold the advancement of the Millennium Development Goals. Iceland has supported the project, both with financial contributions and professional expertise. Recently an evaluation was carried out on the progress of gender equality within the World Bank, which concluded that the action plan had resulted in improved performance on gender mainstreaming and a renewed commitment to gender equality within the Bank. ESMAP Iceland supports ESMAP, a special energy program within the World Bank, which is e.g. concerned with the utilisation of geothermal energy. The program s mission is to provide technical assistance in the energy sector to increase the production of energy while achieving environmentally sustainable solutions for poverty reduction and economic growth. An Icelandic geothermal expert is seconded by Iceland to work for ESMAP on analysis and design of World Bank projects in developing countries. In this context it is invaluable to be able to call on the large network of local geothermal specialists, whom have received training from the UNU Geothermal Training Programme in Iceland. PROFISH Iceland is one of the states which initiated the establishment of the PROFISHprogram in 2005, with the purpose of strengthening sustainable fisheries management, promote economic growth, ensure healthy fish stock and enhance their yield. In addition to financial support, Iceland seconded an employee to the program in , in order to further strengthen the cooperation with the bank. 5

8 Further Insight ICEIDA THE ICELANDIC INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY In ICEIDA operated in six countries in the areas of fisheries, education, energy, health, and water and sanitation. ICEIDA s cooperation with its partner countries is based on the partner countries Poverty Reduction Strategy Plans and ownership is emphasised. ICEIDA s support mainly consists of strengthening infrastructure and the basic pillars of society, focusing on human capital, education and capacity building. Uganda Malawi Namibia Uganda sits on the equator, in the middle of Eastern Africa. In 2009, the country ranked number 143 of the 169 countries on the UN Human Development Index. Around 20% of the country s budget comes from external sources, both grants and development funding. 24% 50% Social Infrastructure 27% Fisheries 17% Education 6% Entrepreneurship Training Malawi is the size of Iceland and is in the South-Eastern part of Africa. The country is one of the poorest in the world and in 2010 it ranked 153rd out of 169 countries on the HDI. Around 33% of the Malawian government s budget comes from development funding and grants. 23% 39% Health 37% Water and Sanitation 23% Education 1% Fisheries Namibia is in the South-Western part of Africa and is one of the least densely populated countries of the continent. In 2010 it ranked 105th on the HDI and is therefore among the lower middleincome countries. Despite that, the country has one of the most unequal income distributions in the world. About 8% of the Namibian budget comes from grants and development funding. 62% Education 30% Water and Sanitation 8% Fisheries 18% 6 Iceland and Uganda started cooperating in ICEIDA s largest project in Uganda is support to district development in Kalangala, located on the small islands in Lake Victoria. Living conditions in the district are among the worst in the country. The main goal of the project is to support the local government to implement its development strategy in the areas of fisheries, education and health, and at the same time to improve local governance, thus promoting and supplying better service to the inhabitants. For years, ICEIDA supported adult education in the districts of Mukono and Kalangala. Support has also been given to entrepreneurship training, where participants get training and preparation for their first business ventures. Furthermore, ICEIDA supports a project in the field fisheries, whose overall objective is to reduce poverty among fishing communities through improved quality and safety of fish for the domestic, regional and export market as well as improving the livelihoods of fish dependent communities. Iceland and Malawi started cooperating in From the outset, support has first and foremost been to the district of Mangochi in the southern part of the country, one the poorest districts in Malawi. ICEIDA has mostly supported projects in the fisheries sector, and in 2009 a fisheries project at Lake Malawi was concluded. Through time, emphasis has changed and in 2010 ICEIDA supported projects in the sectors of health, education and water and sanitation. The support to the health sector is the most extensive, whereas ICEIDA has been providing a wide array of support to the health sector in Mangochi district. Support to the education sector has also been provided, both towards primary and adult education. A large water and sanitation project is also being implemented in the area, with the main objective to prevent the spreading of diseases caused by unsanitary drinking water, but diseases linked to poor sanitation and polluted water, such as cholera and diarrhoea, were extremely common in the area and claimed many lives. Iceland began its cooperation with Namibia around the same year as the country became independent. In the beginning it was first and foremost in the fisheries sector but with time the emphasis moved to the social sector and in the largest projects were supporting two marginalised groups in Namibia, the Ovahimba and the Deaf community. Support to the Ovahimba, nomadic people from the north-western areas of the country, consisted in drilling water holes and holistic rangeland management. ICEIDA has also support kindergartens and adult education. Support to the Deaf community focused on their education and development of the Namibian Sign Language. Cooperation with Namibia ended in the latter half of 2010.

9 Mozambique Mozambique is located in South- East Africa on the coast of the Indian Ocean. In 2010 the country ranked number 165 on the HDI, making it one of the five poorest countries in the world. Around half of the state s budget come from grants and development funding. 16% 73% Fisheries 27% Education The Icelandic government signed a cooperation agreement with Mozambique in The cooperation has mostly been in the areas of fisheries, education and social infrastructure. In 2009, cooperation between the Icelandic, Norwegian and Mozambique authorities on a programme-based support to the Ministry of Fisheries in Mozambique was launched. The programme-based support places emphasis on reducing poverty and increasing food security in fishing communities in Mozambique. ICEIDA also supports adult education in Inhambane, one of the poorest districts in the country. In the years 1999 to 2009 ICEIDA supported the Ministry of Women s Affairs and Social Welfare (MMAS) towards improving gender equality and social infrastructure. During the same period, ICEIDA also cooperated with the Icelandic Red Cross and the Mozambique Red Cross Society in building and maintaining health centres and their outposts in seven communities, in two districts in Maputo Province. Nicaragua Nicaragua lies in the heart of Central America, bordering the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean to the east. Even though the country is classified as a middle-income country, it is one of the poorest in that area of the world. It ranked number 115 on the HDI in % Iceland and Nicaragua signed a cooperation agreement in Nicaragua possesses great geothermal potential. The overall objective of ICEIDA s project is to enhance the utilisation of geothermal resources in Nicaragua by strengthening capacities at government institutions involved in the development of geothermal resources in Nicaragua. Iceland s embassy in Nicaragua was closed in 2009, but the geothermal project kept on going, to be run by a locally hired programme manager, up until 2012, when the cooperation agreement ends. Sri Lanka 100% Energy The cooperation between Sri Lanka and Iceland began in 2005 and ended in Development cooperation was exclusively in the field of fisheries and special emphasis was put on reconstruction following the Tsunami in The story of Agnes Agnes Jana is a mother of five in Malawi and has completed the adult literacy programme supported by ICEIDA. I never attended primary school, so I grew up without education and couldn t read or write when I grew up. When I grew up I noticed how not being able to read hampered me. I became isolated. I felt that people didn t allow me to take leading roles in various projects related to religion or women s empowerment. It caused me grief. I really wanted to learn how to read and write so I could be one of the leading women who were always voted into this and that position in my community. Besides, I had trouble with developing my business, which revolves around selling baked goods, because I was so bad at calculating the profit and the loss. I have achieved so much after I learned how to read, write and calculate, that I could enumerate all day long! That is why I only mention the most important success. Which is that my business is doing very well and now I hold more important positions in the community than most of the men. Regarding the business, I can now easily calculate the balance. I know when I am making a profit and when I am not and I also know what it is that I have to do to improve my business, like selling tomatoes, tailoring, baking nuts and producing fruit juice! Agnes now holds various positions in the community. She has four daughters and one son. Two of the girls recently finished secondary school, while the two younger ones are close to finishing their primary education. The son is studying nursing. I sent all my children to school because I had a difficult life when I couldn t read or write and I don t want my children to have to go through the same experience. I want my children to have a good life and education is key to that. Education opens the doors to a more prosperous future. 7

10 Further Insight WORKING FOR PEACE Since the fifties the Icelandic government has been contributing personnel to various peacekeeping missions. Contributions to peace building and peacekeeping were an increasingly important part of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs international activities in the nineties, leading to the founding of the Iceland Crisis Response Unit as a separate entity within the Ministry in The work of the Iceland Crisis Response Unit (ICRU) is based on law no. 73/2007 and its activities include promoting stability in conflict areas, supporting political and economic developments with the aim of establishing permanent peace, strengthening infrastructures in post-conflict societies together with preventive measures focused on precluding the outbreak of hostilities. Concurrently, emphasis is placed on gender issues and the development of civil society. 100% 80% 60% 40% ICRU personnel in the field Ratio of men and women Gender equality is an important part of the ICRU s work and maintaining a gender balance in the group of experts sent to work in the field is prioritized. The proportion of women among seconded personnel has risen and reached 45% in Afghanistan Iceland has participated in the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) mission in Afghanistan since 2003 together with fellow NATO members and a large number of other states. In 2010 Iceland provided civilian experts to the Development Branch of the Stability Division of Headquarters ISAF in Kabul to work on inter alia the coordination of development efforts and gender issues. Icelandic personnel are also engaged in the administration of the camp at KAIA (Kabul International Airport) and participants in policy formation at NATO s Senior Civilian Representative (SCR) Office. 20% 0% 2002 Africa Men 2003 Icelandic civilian experts have in the past few years been sent to conflict areas in Africa, i.e. Darfur in Sudan and Liberia. During Icelandic police officers took part in the UN s Department of Peace keeping Operations (DPKO) police operation in Liberia. The aim of the operation was to develop and support local police forces. Experts have also been sent to work with UNIFEM (now UN Women) and in Liberia and UNICEF in Sudan. The Balkans Women The hostilities in the Balkans in the nineties were a catalyst in Icelandic participation in peacekeeping. Initially, the participants were medical professionals serving in Norwegian and British field hospitals. Later, police officers took part in UNMIK police operations in Kosovo and EUPM in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The ICRU has enjoyed a long and fruitful cooperation with UNIFEM (now UN WOMEN) and in 2010 gender experts were working with the organization in Sarajevo and in Belgrade. The Middle East For some time now, Icelandic experts have been seconded to a number of international organizations in the Middle East. The emphasis has mostly been on supporting Palestinians in the Occupied Territories and Palestinian refugees. They have provided expertise in various fields, such as humanitarian and social assistance, administration, policy formation and information management. The main partners have been UNRWA, UNICEF, UNHCR and OCHA. 8

11 Icelandic Search and Rescues (ICE-SAR) in Haiti Cooperation with the EU The cooperation between Iceland and the EU is based on the MOU/outline agreement between Iceland and the EU from 2005 on Icelandic participation in EU crisis management operations. Iceland provided civilian experts to EU operations in Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina until Election Observation In past years, The Icelandic authorities have provided a number of participants to both short-term and long-term election observation missions from international organizations, particularly for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The observation missions are intended to support free and democratic elections in OSCE member states. In 2010 Iceland provided election observers to presidential or parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and the Ukraine, in total 16 observers, 8 women and 8 men. In addition four employees of ICEIDA took part in election observation in Malawi in % 11% 11% 13% 16% 8% 15% 8% 2% 18% ICRU Division by region / country 31% 15% 31% Afganistan 15% Haiti ICRU Division by organisation 15% Middle East 11% Africa 11% Administration Cost 9% Unallocated 8% The Balkans 43% NATO 18% UNIMIL 16% UNICEF 13% UNIFEM 43% 8% OCHA 2% UNRWA The biggest rescue operation that Iceland has undertaken abroad took place on January 2010 when the all-voluntary ICE-SAR was sent to earthquake stricken Haiti, ICE-SAR is specialised in rescue operations in earthquake areas and is certified by INSARAG (International Search and Rescue Advisory Group) as such. ICE- SAR is part of the ICRU s roster. There is an agreement in place between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and ICE-SAR designating the outfit as an official government team when operating abroad. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs also supports ICE-SAR members participation in UNDAC and INSARAG. Gender Equality Experience shows that development assistance which is based on the equal rights of men and women is an effective approach in development. Assistance based on participation of both women and men, and takes into account the needs, perspectives and interests of both genders are more likely to deliver sustainable results. Women s empowerment and gender equality is therefore both a specific objective and a cross-cutting theme in development cooperation. Gender mainstreaming is emphasised in policy making, planning, preparing and implementing projects in the field, as well as within multilateral institutions. Icelandic NGOs Cooperation with NGOs in Iceland has been growing in recent years, and funds allocated towards their projects amounted to 1.37 million US$ in 2010, or 4.8% of total ODA. Allocations to NGOs are either emergency and humanitarian assistance or bilateral cooperation. 9

12 Further Insight UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN ICELAND The United Nations University (UNU) was founded in 1973 to support international cooperation between the UN, universities and others who do scientific research focused on developing countries. The UNU is an international community of scholars, engaged in research, postgraduate training and dissemination of knowledge in furtherance of the purposes and principles of the United Nations. The activities of the UNU are clustered into thematic areas in the field of environmental issues and sustainable development on one hand and peace and good governance on the other. Twelve institutions along with five training programmes, three of which are in Iceland, form the network of the United Nations University. The UNU training programmes in Iceland are an important part of Iceland s development cooperation. The UNU programmes offer six months post-graduate training for practicing professionals from developing countries, where they attend courses and do practical assignments related to their home countries. In total, over 660 individuals have attended the programmes. UNU-Geothermal Training Programme (UNU-GTP) The UNU-GTP has operated since The National Energy Authority hosts the programme and is responsible for its dayto-day operations. In 2010, 28 individuals from 15 developing countries finished their six month training programmes in Iceland, bringing the total to 452. The programme also had 13 students pursuing Master s degrees and two working towards PhDs. The UNU-GTP regularly sets up workshops in developing countries and from their outset in 2005, over 450 people have attended. Interest in utilising geothermal energy is constantly growing and the UNU-GTP regularly receives requests for training and teaching, both from developing and developed countries interested in renewable energy sources. In 2010 the UNU-GTP took on more students than ever before, a direct result of increased interest from developing countries in geothermal energy. UNU-Fisheries Training Programme (UNU-FTP) The goal of the UNU-FTP is to enhance knowledge on fisheries in developing countries. The Marine Research Institute of Iceland is responsible for its day-to-day running, but the UNU-FTP s operations are also structured around cooperation with MATÍS, the University of Iceland, the University of Akureyri and other institutions and companies. In 2010, 17 individuals finished their six month training programme, bringing the total up to 223 from 43 countries, of which 82 were women. Seven have graduated with a Master s degree and one a PhD. Nine students are now pursuing post-graduate studies in Iceland. In 2010 the UNU-FTP held four workshops; in Vietnam, Uganda, Belize and Barbados. Graduation class of the UNU Geothermal Training Programme in 2010, along with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Chinese ambassador in Iceland and the staff of the UNU-GTP. 10

13 UNU Land Restoration Training programme (UNU-LRT) The UNU-LRT officially became a part of the United Nations University in February 2010, when a cooperation agreement was signed between the United Nations University, the Government of Iceland, the Agricultural University of Iceland and the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland. The mission of the programme is to train specialists from developing countries which suffer from land degradation, soil erosion, desertification and the negative consequences of climate change, in the field of land restoration and sustainable land management. In October 2010, the first six fellows graduated from the programme under the auspices of the United Nations University, a total of 23 fellows from 8 countries had then completed the training course, from its inception as a pilot project in 2007 Number of fellows in the United Nations University in Iceland The Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme (GEST) The Gender Equality Studies and Training (GEST) Programme is a joint project between the University of Iceland and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The programme builds on the experience of the UNU training programmes in Iceland and follows a similar structure. The overall aim of the project is to provide the appropriate education and training to professionals from developing countries in order to strengthen their capabilities in the field of gender equality. In this way, they will be better equipped to contribute towards enhanced gender equality in their home countries upon return. An emphasis is placed on promoting gender equality and women s empowerment in accordance to the third Millennium Development Goal. In addition, a special emphasis is placed on integrating gender perspectives in post conflict reconstruction, according to the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. The final focus area is the adoption of gender approaches in the sectors of environment and sustainable natural resource management, concentrating on fisheries, energy and land restoration. Two fellows from Afghanistan completed a 7 week training course in January 2010 and three fellows from Afghanistan and three from Palestine finished their training in December the same year. The third group of fellows, which enrolled for the fall term of 2011, composed two fellows from Palestine, four from Mozambique and two from Uganda. GEST will operate as a pilot project at first, and will then be evaluated based on its achievements Men Women 11

14 Further Insight EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE In recent years contributions towards emergency response and humanitarian assistance have been a considerable part of Iceland s ODA, but they are either allocated to international organisations or NGO s. In 2010 these contributions amounted to a total of 3.24 million USD, of which 1 million was allocated to projects implemented by Icelandic NGO s. 12 Contributions to International Organisations The Government of Iceland contributes to emergency response and humanitarian assistance through various UN agencies such as WFP, CERF and OCHA. Funds have also been allocated to the ISAF Emergency Fund for Afghanistan. In line with Iceland s Stand-by Partnership Agreements, ICRU seconded experts to emergency and humanitarian response by WFP, UNHCR, OCHA and UNICEF in Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Sri Lanka, the occupied Palestinian territories and Sudan in 2009 and Cooperation with NGO s In recent years, cooperation between the Icelandic Government and Icelandic NGOs has been increasing. From 2008, specific guidelines for cooperation with NGOs have been used. Twice a year, following an application and assessment process, grants are allocated to projects implemented by NGOs. In 2010, the guidelines were revised by the MFA and ICEIDA in cooperation with representatives from NGOs. The main objective of the revision was to harmonise guidelines for humanitarian and emergency assistance and for development cooperation projects. Thus, from 2011, harmonised guidelines for the MFA and ICEIDA apply for all cooperation between the government of Iceland and NGOs in the field of development cooperation. In 2010, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs signed a- new collaborative agreement with the Icelandic Red Cross and renewed it s agreements with the United Nations Association of Iceland and the National Committee of UNIFEM (now UN Women). Total allocations to projects implemented by Icelandic NGOs (amounts are in thousand US$) The Icelandic Red Cross ,0 474,2 Afghanistan... 40,5 49,2 Gaza ,5 65,6 Malawi... 40,5 Mozambique... 40,5 81,9 Sierra Leone... 64,7 Sri Lanka... 40,5 Haiti ,9 Pakistan... 32,8 East-Congo... 41,0 Programme to combat human trafficking.. 80,9 Icelandic Church Aid ,4 482,6 Gaza... 56,6 Uganda... 64,7 Haiti ,5 Pakistan... 94,2 Malawi (dev. proj. in collaboration with ICEIDA)... 72,0 Ethiopia (dev. proj. in collaboration with ICEIDA). 284,0 281,9 SOS-Children s Villages... 9,8 24,5 Sri Lanka... 79,3 Haiti... 16,4 East-Congo... 81,9 Uganda ,4 Save the Children, Iceland... 7,0 23,5 Uganda... 56,6 Malawi... 86,0 Haiti... 90,1 Pakistan... 16,4 ABC Children s Aid, Pakistan... 21,3 SPES, Togo ,9 The Icelandic Lutheran Mission, Kenya... 52,6 National Committee of UNICEF, East-Congo 64,7 Makeba Rehabilitation Center for girls in South Africa... 49,4 Total (USD) 1.254, ,4 * The table shows total contributions to project implemented by NGOs in 2009 and Thereof, contributions towards emergency response and humanitarian assistance amounted to 898 thousand US$ in 2009 and 1 million US$ in 2010.

15 UMHVERFISMERKI Abbreviations CERF DAC DCD DPKO ESMAP EU FAO GAP GEST GNI ICEIDA ICRU ICE-SAR ICRC IDA IFAD ILO INSARAG ISAF KAIA MDGs MFA NATO NDF NGO OCHA ODA OECD PROFISH UN UN Women UNDAC UNDP UNEP UNESCO UNFPA UNHCR UNICEF UNIFEM UNRWA UNU UNU-FTP UNU-GTP UNU-LRT WFP Central Emergency Response Fund Development Assistance Committee Development Cooperation Committee Department of Peacekeeping Operations Energy Sector Management Assistance Program European Union Food and Agriculture Organisation Gender Action Plan Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme Gross National Income Icelandic International Development Agency Icelandic Crisis Response Unit Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue International Committee of the Red Cross International Development Association International Fund for Agricultural Development International Labour Organization International Search and Rescue Advisory Group International Security Assistance Force Kabul International Airport Millennium Development Goals Ministry for Foreign Affairs North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Nordic Development Fund Non Governmental Organisation Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Officcial Development Assistance Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Global Program on Fisheries United Nations United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination United Nations Development Programme United Nations Environment Programme United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Populations Fund United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees United Nations Children s Fund United Nations Development Fund for Women United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East United Nations University United Nations University Fisheries Training Programme United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme United Nations University Land Restoration Training Programme World Food Programme Publishers Ministry for Foreign Affairs Icelandic International Development Agency - ICEIDA Design and layout Jónas Þorbergsson / Fínlína Photos Cover Page: UN/Martine Perret Dorthe H. Holm, Elín Halla Ásgeirsdóttir, Geir Oddsson, Gunnar Salvarsson, Hafdís Hanna Ægisdóttir, Helga Þórólfsdóttir, Jóna Björk Jónsdóttir, Landsbjörg, Lilja Dóra Kolbeinsdóttir, Michael Goldberg, Þór H. Ásgeirsson and others. UN Photo Library: Alexis Duclos, Amjad Jamal, Bikem Ekberzade, Eskinder Debebe, Gonzalez Farran, Logan Abassi, Marco Dormino, Marie Frechon, Martine Perret, Olivier Chassot, Paul Banks, Sophia Paris, Tim McKulka, WFP istockphoto.com ISBN: , Ministry for Foreign Affairs PRENTGRIPUR 13

16 M I N IST RY FOR FOR EIGN A F FA I R S Ministry for Foreign Affairs Rauðarárstígur 25, 150 Reykjavík, Iceland tel: