Environment and Health in Peace Support Operations

On assignment from the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Department of Field Support (UN DFS), FOI coordinates a collaboration project on Environment and Health Issues in Peacekeeping Operations. The project involves several research groups within FOI. The Swedish Armed Forces is the primary partner, but the project also includes other civilian and military actors, such as the Swedish Rescue Services Agency, the Swedish International Development Agency, the Folke Bernadotte Academy and various Universities and Tech Enterprises.

Furthermore, on assignment from The Swedish Armed Forces, FOI is part of the national Medical and Environmental Intelligence Network, performing e.g. pre-deployment health threat assessments and environmental vulnerability analysis for Swedish participation in Peace Support Operations.

Recent work include:

• Pre-deployment health threat assessments and environmental vulnerability analysis for Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Somalia.
• Project on “Greening UN Field Missions” where UN DFS and FOI together with Swedish expertise develop methods where UN Field Missions can be more sustainable. Various 'Sustainable Base Camps' pilot projects are conducted on site in Juba, together with United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).
• Environmental Awareness and education programme for UN Environmental Officers and Troop Contributing nations (TCCs).
• Workshop on Environmental Security Concerns prior to and during Peace Support and/or Crisis Management Operation: focus Africa.
  Participation in Environmental and Security Analysis for the Democratic Republic of Congo, coordinated by the institute for Environmental Security.
  

For more information, please contact Birgitta Liljedahl (birgitta.liljedahl@foi.se)