Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja: Crisis management lacks civilian expertise

There will be a serious shortage of civilian expertise, predicted Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja when opening the seminar on civil crisis management and NGOs in Helsinki on Wednesday. The seminar was organised by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Citizens´ Security Council.

The international community has repeatedly witnessed that a sufficient number of troops has been commissioned for peacekeeping operations on a relatively short notice. However, civilian experts are hard to find.

The problems in the civilian sector manifest particularly in the UN-led peacekeeping operation in Kosovo. For example, there is still a shortage of civilian police. "The citizens of Yugoslavia have voted for democracy. The international community is committed to assist the democratisation of the country as well as re-establishing relations with other countries", said Tuomioja. He reckoned assistance would be required, not only in reconstruction but also in building a just society.

According to Foreign Minister Tuomioja, civilian crisis management imposes great demands on experts. They must have ability to understand how to apply human rights principles in practice in situations where there is not necessarily a tradition of democracy. They need to have knowledge of local customs as well as language and social skills. To address these needs, civilian training will be launched in the near future, said Tuomioja. Training will also establish a common operational culture which will increase efficiency in the field.

The European Union has decided to increase their crisis management capabilities significantly, said Tuomioja. At this stage, efforts will be concentrated on strenthening civilian police, enhancing rule of law, building civil administration and rescue service. The EU can be the actor itself or work with international organisations.

According to Tuomioja, the role of the NGOs is indispensable. When a society is close to a crisis, the NGO network is often the first to raise the alarm. The operations of the NGOs are also flexible and versatile. Their expertise is abundant and readily available. "A strong civil society is a safety network which is the most effective crisis deterrent", said Tuomioja.