This is shown in a letter from the UN secretariat to the Norwegian UN delegation in New York. In the letter, Norway is informed that six Norwegian officers have been permanently excluded from UN service. Norway is now also one of the countries listed in the UN’s database of countries that have broken the rules against sexual exploitation and abuse in the UN. The background is an news revelation in November last year. Norway sent officers to South Sudan to contribute to the UN peacekeeping operation to protect civilians, including against sexual abuse. But news was able to tell that seven officers on a UN mission in South Sudan were punished for, among other things, buying sex and for bringing African women they had met in a bar into the camp at night. Some of the men were also punished for having sexually exploited and given sexual attention to a locally employed woman in the Norwegian camp. The incidents occurred in 2013 and 2014. The military police opened an investigation and concluded the cases, but the outcome was never reported to the UN. Two of them were also allowed to go on new international missions even though they were disciplined. The UN concludes with sexual exploitation Following news’s disclosure, the UN opened a separate case. In December last year, the UN received information from the Norwegian authorities about what the various officers had been investigated for and punished for. Now the UN Office for Disciplinary Matters in New York (CDS) has looked at the cases and concluded. Norway has been the subject of UN headquarters after it became known that Norway never reported sexual assaults that occurred in South Sudan in 2013 and 2014. Photo: CARLO ALLEGRI / Reuters They believe that six officers in South Sudan are guilty in various circumstances: sexual exploitation sexual harassment violation of the rules on contact with local people violation of the rules on good order and discipline not informing the UN of abuse In the letter, which is dated January this year, the UN Secretariat writes: “The UN wishes to inform Norway’s UN – delegation that the actions of the officers (name redacted) are to be considered contrary to the high standard expected of persons in UN service. (…) These individuals will not be accepted for dispatch to any current or future peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN.” The relevant officers have been informed of the UN’s conclusion. Norway also receives criticism news has been in contact with Farhan Haq, spokesperson for the UN Secretary General. – The UN has informed the Norwegian authorities that the actions were in breach of disciplinary rules, Haq tells news. In the letter, the UN also draws Norway’s attention to the fact that member states have a duty to quickly inform about allegations of sexual abuse or violations of UN standards. The Norwegian authorities spent nine years informing the UN that Norwegian officers had, among other things, bought sex and exploited a locally employed woman in the camp. – No comment, says spokesperson Haq to news when he is asked to comment on the use of time. Scratch in the paint Hilde Frafjord Johnson was responsible for all UN operations in South Sudan from 2011 to 2014. Former UN chief Hilde Frafjord Johnson says Norway has had a scratch in the paint after the events in South Sudan. Photo: Tormod Strand / news – There is a clear scratch in the paint. There is no doubt about that. Most people expect that Norway has the upper hand when it comes to this type of matter, says the former UN summit to news. She has previously reacted strongly to the fact that she, as supreme commander, never found out about what happened in the Norwegian camp. – Yes, it’s a bit strange, it’s almost as if someone has tried to keep it hidden, Frafjord Johnson told news in December. She refers to Norway’s lack of reporting as a failure. – It is very important that the UN is notified quickly. There has been a failure here, she says to news. Ministry of Defence: Regrettably, the Ministry of Defense will not be available for an interview on the matter. In an email, senior adviser Marita Hundershagen writes that the relationship was not reported for “unclear reasons”. She admits that Norway does not have routines for reporting such conditions to the UN. – It is very regrettable. There has not been an established practice for reporting in connection with suspicion, investigation or disciplinary incidents in UN operations between the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence, writes Hundershagen. news has asked whether a lack of reporting routines means that there may be more cases that the UN has never found out about. – It cannot be ruled out that there are further incidents that have not been reported, the press watchdog writes. According to the ministry, a practice for reporting will be in place within a “short time”. The Chief of Defense: news has helped us Confronted with the fact that the UN is now blacklisting several Norwegian officers from new missions, and that Norway is now on the list of countries that have broken the rules against sexual exploitation and abuse, Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen says that it is good that the UN is taking action. – It is good that the UN has followed up, and that they are now suspending Norwegian officers from further service in UN operations. It shows that the UN is also following up. It’s good, says Kristoffersen to news during a visit to Kirkenes. – Why hasn’t the Norwegian Armed Forces reported this to the UN, before news makes a case about it? – This happened in 2013, and when I became aware of it, we informed about it. news has helped us in this case and in other cases about sexual harassment and bullying in the Armed Forces. It shows that the media has an effect, and I appreciate that, says the defense chief. Eirik Kristoffersen answered news’s questions during a visit to Kirkenes. Photo: Christian Kråkenes / news – But isn’t it cumbersome to use news in correspondence? – It shouldn’t be like that. It must be so that the Armed Forces find out themselves and report according to the routines we have. We have also done that after this case, Kristoffersen replies and points out that they have sent information about what happened in South Sudan in 2013 and 2014 after news published cases about the events. The Chief of Defense also describes how the Armed Forces have now changed their routines so that those who select who can travel on international business must also know about any previous violations and penalties imposed. – So those who have been punished will not go out again, Kristoffersen repeats in the same way as when he was interviewed in news’s disclosure in November 2022. Kristoffersen also assures that they will put routines in place to inform the UN. – Are you going to follow up that these routines really come into place? – Yes, I will do that. So I can’t guarantee that there haven’t been other cases back in history that I’m not aware of yet. So we need to check it out before the media finds out. It would have been the very best. At the same time, thanks to the media for discovering this, replies Kristoffersen.
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Six Norwegian officers excluded from UN service in the future – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
