Summary Report. Norwegian Standby Roster for Civilian Observers (NOROBS) – The Role and Position of NOROBS in the Context of Norway’s Contribution to Civilian Peacemaking, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Abstract:

Norway has positioned itself as a prominent supporter, both politically and financially, of international humanitarian, development, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding initiatives. One of the support mechanisms that Norway has developed in this context is civilian standby rosters, and these rosters have given Norway the flexibility to not only support international missions with political and financial support, but to also provide human resources, that can administer and implement the programmes needed to operationalise these international missions.

Within this context, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) agreed to establish the Norwegian Standby Capacity Programme (NORCAP) in 2009. The purpose of NORCAP is to provide an overarching framework within which to administer several civilian humanitarian, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding related rosters operated by the NRC. The NORCAP agreement recognises the growing importance to Norway of the deployment of civilian experts to peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions, and introduces a new specialised civilian standby roster for the deployment of civilian observers, called NOROBS.