Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
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11 Recommendations

The recommendations are listed by order of priority under the following three headings.

Concerning their possible implementation, we recommend an early creation of a steering committee. Even though the action combined with most of the recommendations could be placed rather easily between the actors within the present division of work in NORDEM, we see this action as a good opportunity to establish a co-ordinated approach, led by the new Committee.

11.1 Effectiveness and Impact related to Managerial, Communication, Training and Capacity Enhancement Issues

  1. To ensure full and adequate utilisation of the relevant Norwegian resources, support for Norwegian foreign policy and adequate operational independence for NORDEM, a five-person Steering Committee for NORDEM should be created, composed of two MFA representatives, one from NIHR, one from NRC and a chairperson from outside the constituent parties. The other designated members of the committee should nominate the chairperson. In the event of equity of votes, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shall have the casting vote. The head of the NORDEM secretariat should be a permanent observer at the meetings of the committee. The Committee should normally meet every second month, and normally only deal with questions of a general nature.

  1. The Committee should elaborate a short but clear mandate and policy guidelines for NORDEM. To support this activity, the NORDEM secretariat should ensure that adequate and up-to-date management information is available, including aggregate figures on the quantitative aspects of NORDEM’s activities, synthesis of experiences of NORDEM delegates of their assignments and a system for benchmarking NORDEM’s performance.

  1. In relation to strategy, NORDEM should consider more specifically targeted initiatives to promote, bilaterally and multilaterally, the upgrading of human resources in relation to human rights and democracy in the recipient countries.

  1. A policy should be elaborated regarding the length of assignments and sufficient diversity of recruited candidates.

  1. Initiatives should be taken to promote the use of the freshly acquired experience of NORDEM returnees in Norwegian society, including networking among the members, and the dissemination of their added knowledge. Thought should be given to how NIHR could assist NORDEM by research and studies related to NORDEM’s international activities.

  1. The possibilities for additional upgrading of the Norwegian resource base by offering new courses for NORDEM members and for individual mentoring for potential members, should be explored.

  1. Priority should be given to solve the present taxation problem for NORDEM secondees.

  1. NORDEM should automatically offer counselling services for returning delegates.

  1. The present system of monthly reporting by NORDEM secondees should stop. To ensure an effective channel for possible grievances and other communication with NORDEM headquarters, an electronic hotline should be established.

  1. More and updated information about NORDEM should be readily available in Norway, at the Norwegian embassies and abroad.

11.2 Effectiveness and Efficiency in NORDEM’s Response to Needs, Quality of Procedures and Candidates

  1. A study should be undertaken of current and possible future tendencies regarding needs for international personnel assistance within human rights and democracy building, including good governance, rule of law and conflict resolution. The consequent need of the Resource Bank and Stand-by Force should be considered in this relation.

  1. Thought should be given to supplement the present focus for NORDEM activity, recruitment for secondments to international organisations, with other types of recruitment of Norwegian staff for international positions within human rights, democracy and similar areas.

  1. Regarding future election supervision assignments, the recruitment, training and briefing of the secondees should be re-examined to ensure that they possess an adequate understanding of the nature of their task. Efforts should be made to avoid very short secondments.

  1. NORDEM should consider the best practices of performance evaluation of secondees elsewhere in order to develop its own practice.

11.3 Relevance and Quality of the Implementation through the Seconded Organisations in the Recipient Countries

  1. More direct communication between NORDEM and the seconded organisations and other employers of NORDEM staff should be established to enable feedback and increase pro-activity in relation to the sharing of experience and problem solution.

  1. As a main rule, NORDEM should avoid complex operational management roles in specific projects. Instead, cooperation should be established with NORAD so that support can be obtained when needed.

  1. Regarding a possible future role of NORDEM in relation to serious crimes investigations and prosecutions, a thorough needs assessment should be carried out in advance by an independent technical expert. The assessment should include the actual constraints and realities of the seconded organisation.