Expert Profile



Ms Annika Hilding Norberg
Position(s) Head of Peace Operations and Peacebuilding
Twitter @AnnikaHildingNo
Personal website GCSP Peace Operations and Peacebuilding

Ms Annika Hilding Norberg is Head of GCSP Peace Operations and Peacebuilding, where she is responsible for executive education and training, policy applicably research and advice, dialogue and discussion. In support of Switzerland’s role on the UN Security Council 2023-2024, the GCSP is mandated by the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs and the Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sports to support the development of a New Agenda for Peace and the preparations for the Summit of the Future. Within this context, Annika focuses in particular on Strengthening Leadership for Peace and Security; and the Future of UN Peace Operations and Peacebuilding Missions. Annika serves on the Board of Directors of the International Leadership Association and on the Management Committee of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform

Prior to joining the GCSP, she was the Founder and Director of the International Forum for the Challenges of Peace Operations (Challenges Forum) aimed at strengthening peace operations, a joint platform of then 22 countries, including the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council. Originating from when she served as President of the London School of Economics (LSE) International Relations Society, the Challenges Forum was founded in 1996 as part of her research studies at the LSE on comparative approaches to peace operations. She coordinated the Challenges Forum based at the LSE (1996-2000), the Swedish National Defence College (1997-2002) and the Folke Bernadotte Academy, an agency of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2003-2017). Annika served on the Board of Directors for the Peace Operations Training Institute (2010-2013).

Annika holds a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from the LSE, a Master of Arts in International Politics from the Free University of Brussels and studied languages at the Moscow State University and the Universidad del Pais Vasco. Ms Hilding Norberg is the main editor of some 80 Challenges Forum and other reports and policy briefs and has worked and/or studied in ten countries. In 2008, she was awarded the Silver Medal of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences for her contributions to strengthening UN peacekeeping.

 

MAIN UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

  • Capacity Building for the New Agenda for Peace, Interactive Conference to mark the UNITAR Division for Peace Advisory Board Side Event, organised by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, 19 April (Moderator)
  • New Issues in International Security – Leadership for Peace: Conflict Prevention, Management, and Resolution Course Week Module, 21-24 May (Module Leader)
  • Co-hosting of High-Level Event and Expert Symposium on the Future of Peace Operations, including launch of UNTSO Study Report led by GCSP.  The day will be co-hosted by UN Department for Peace Operations, Switzerland, Ghana, India, Norway, EPON, GCSP, NUPI, United Services Institution of India, at the UN Headquarters, New York, 31 May (GCSP Lead/UNTSO Study Project Team Lead)
  • Rethinking UN Security and Peace Engagements in a Changing World Order, organised by ETH Zürich and the Geneva Graduate Institute, 6 June (Contributor)
  • Global Peace Index 2024 European Launch co-organised with the Institute of Economics and Peace, Geneva, June (Lead at GCSP)
  • 25th Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and the Swiss Armed Forces, Stans, Switzerland, 25 August - 6 September (Course Director)
  • UN Police Commanders Course Review, Sweden, 9-13 September (GCSP Lead/Host of UNPCC 2023 and UN Police Division Leadership Retreat 2024)
  • 15th Swiss Annual Senior Officers Seminar – Peace Operations for the Future: Trends, Options and Considerations, in cooperation with the Swiss Armed Forces, Geneva, 25-27 September (Course Co-Director)
  • Geneva Peace Week, co-organised with the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform and the UN Office in Geneva, 13-17 October 2024 (Management Committee Member/GCSP Lead)
  • International Leadership Associations Annual Conference and Board Meeting, Chicago, 5-10 November (Member, Board of Directors)
  • UN Senior Mission Leadership Course, co-organised with the UN DPO, the Swiss FDFA, Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Kenyan International Peace Support Training Centre, Nairobi, 11-22 November (GCSP Lead)

 

RECENT UNDERTAKINGS

  • Contributing to “Capacity Building for the New Agenda for Peace”, Interactive Conference to mark the UNITAR Division for Peace Advisory Board Side Event, organised by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, 19 April
  • International Leadership Association Board Meeting, University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership, Cambridge, 18-19 March (Member, ILA Board of Directors)
  • Co-hosting of Public Discussion and Report Launch on The Role and Impacts of Human Rights in UN Peace Operations in Practice with United Nations University Centre for Policy Research, Centre for Civilians in Conflict, EPON Network, Stockholm Peace Research Institute, GCSP, 1 March (GCSP Lead/ Welcoming Remarks)
  • Co-hosting of UN Police Divisions Leadership Team Retreat on Strategic Reflection on the Future of UN Policing, on behalf of the UN DPO, the Swiss FDFA and in cooperation Swiss Armed Forces, Stans, Switzerland, 25-28 February. Ideas Notes: 1) UN Peace Operations – The Road to 2030; 2) Preparing for UN Policing 2030 – Challenges and Opportunities Ahead; 3) Harmful Information in the Context of Peace Operations – Implications and Opportunities for UN Police; 4) Leveraging New Technologies in Support of UN Policing; and 5) Preparing for the Future: Climate Supportive UN Policing (GCSP Lead /Co-Facilitator)
  • Hybrid Governance in Crisis Settings: Exploring Practical Frameworks for Service Delivery Systems. A Breakfast Round Table co-organised with United Nations Development Programme, United Nations University for Centre for Policy Research, and Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, GCSP, 9 February (GCSP Lead)
  • A Pact for the Future and New Agenda for Peace: Creating Opportunities for Better Collective Security, A High-Level Roundtable for the 2024 Summit of the Future, co-hosted with Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations and Other Organizations in Geneva, Stimson Center, and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, GCSP, 5 February (Participant)
  • Leadership in International Security Course / Master in Advanced Studies in International and European Security, GCSP and University of Geneva – Leadership for Peace: Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, 2 Weeks Module, GCSP, 15-26 January (Module Leader)
  • Informal Geneva Civil Society Update on the Summit of the Future and related UN-Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, co-hosted with the Stimson Center, UN University Centre for Policy Research, and Global Governance Innovation Network, GCSP, 18 January (GCSP Lead)
  • Preparing for the Future: Shedding Light on the Role of UN Military Observers – Emerging Lessons from and for United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, Round Table co-organised with the UN Department for Peace Operations (UN DPO), the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) and Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), New York, 11 December, 2023 (EPON Study Team Leader)
  • Geneva Peace Week Meets New York - Building Trust, Building Peace: An Agenda for the Future, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and the GPP, 28-29 November, and a GCSP organised High-level Panel on The New Agenda for Peace and Preparing for the Summit – From Recommendations to Commitments, New York, 28 November 2023 (Member, Management Committee)
  • UN Police Commanders Course, co-organised with the UN DPO and the Swiss FDFA in cooperation with the Swiss Armed Forces, Stans, Switzerland, 13-24 November 2023 (GCSP Lead)
  • Participation in International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres Annual Conference, hosted by the International Peace Support Training Centre of Kenya and initiation of UN Senior Mission Leadership Course 2024 Co-Hosting Planning, Nairobi, 5-9 November 2023 (Participant)
  • Participation in UN Policing Day, co-hosted by the Kenyan National Police and the United Nations DPO Police Division, Nairobi, and Preparation of UN Police Commanders Course 2023 in Switzerland, Nairobi, 4 November, 2023 (Participant)
  • Geneva Peace Week - Building Trust, Building Peace: An Agenda for the Future, co-organised with the GPP and Swiss FDFA, 30 October-3 November 2023 (Member, Management Committee) including:
  • GCSP organised High-level Panel on Building Trust, Building Peace: Preparing for the Summit – A Conversation About the Future, 1 November, 2023 (Moderator)
  • GCSP Panel Discussion on The New Agenda for Peace: Reflection on the Future of Peace and Security Engagements, 1 November, 2023 (Moderator)
  • International Leadership Association Annual Conference 2023: Cultivating Leadership for a Thriving Future, 3-4 (online) and 12-15 (Vancouver) October 2023, including a GCSP organised session on Preparing for the Summit of the Future: Cultivating Adaptive Leadership for Future Peace Missions and Operations, 14 October 2023 (Member, Board of Directors)
  • GCSP Regional Security Cooperation Alumni Seminar: The Democratic Republic of the Congo at a Cross Roads: What Path Towards Sustainable Peace?, 28 September 2023 (Moderator)
  • 24th Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and the Swiss Armed Forces, Stans, Switzerland, 27 August-8 September 2023 (Course Director)
  • Geneva Security Debate, “The New Agenda for Peace: An Opportunity to Reshape Peace Operations”, GCSP, 22 August 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • Participation in the Swiss-Korean Commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, Swiss Parliament, Bern, 5 July 2023
  • Global Peace Index 2023 Geneva Launch, co-organised with the Institute of Economics and Peace, GCSP, 30 June 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • Making the Difference in Peace, Security and Development – Results-Based Management and Beyond, course co-organised with DCAF and Small Arms Survey, GCSP, 26-30 June 2023 (Course Co-Director)
  • Presentation on Swiss Contribution to UN Peacekeeping, “UN Peacekeeping @ 75 Workshop” co-hosted by the ETH CSS and International Peacekeeping Journal, Zurich, 12-13 June. Contributed to publication from workshop (Speaker)
  • New Issues in International Security - Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution and Sustainable Peace Course Week Module, GCSP, 6-9 June 2023 (Module Leader)
  • Study Visit Middle East with EPON Project on UNTSO, including meetings with national stakeholders and UNIFIL, UNDOF, UNSCO, UNSCOL, MFO, etc., 22 May-5 June 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • Round Table Discussion, UNTSO Headquarters, Jerusalem, in cooperation with UNTSO, 28 May 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • Round Table Discussion on The New Agenda for Peace and The Future of Peace Operations – Lessons Learnt from UNTSO? in cooperation with the Cairo Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding and EPON, 1 June 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • Participation in the 75th Anniversary of UN Peacekeeping Commemorations at UN Headquarters, Jerusalem, and at UNIFIL Headquarters, Naqoura, 29 May 2023
  • Participation in Adaptive Leadership Workshop, GCSP, 16 June 2023
  • Presentation at International Leadership Association Leadership for Peace Community on Adaptive Leadership for Peace Operations and Missions, Online 11 May 2023 (Member, Board of Directors)
  • GCSP Public Discussion “Preparing for the Summit of the Future: What Future for Multilateralism?” and Launch of Policy Brief “The Future of Multilateralism” by Richard Gowan, UN Director, International Crisis Group, GCSP, 28 April 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • GCSP Strengthening UN Peace Operations and Peacebuilding Project visit to New York, 17-21 April 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • Results-Based Management Course UN Standing Police Capacity, co-organised with DCAF and Small Arms Survey, Brindisi, 27-31 March 2023 (Course Co-Director)
  • Geneva Consultations on the New Agenda for Peace, co-organised with GPP and Swiss FDFA, Geneva, 16-17 March 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • 23rd Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and Swiss Armed Forces, Stans, Switzerland, 26 February-10 March 2023 (Course Director)
  • Briefing by the High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism in cooperation with the UN University Centre for Policy Research and the GPP, Geneva, 1 March 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • Briefing on the New Agenda for Peace by the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, co-organised with the GPP, GCSP, 18 January 2023 (Lead at GCSP)
  • Leadership in International Security Course / Master’s in Advanced Studies in International and European Security, GCSP and University of Geneva – Prevention, Conflict Management and Sustainable Peace 2 Weeks Module, GCSP, 16-27 January 2023 (Module Lead)
  • International Leadership Association (ILA). In 2022, GCSP pioneered the ILA Women Leaders for Peace Fellowship Initiative. 11 outstanding women leaders contributed with 22 thought pieces and lectures delivered on:
    • Global Leadership for Peace Operations and Peacebuilding 2030: How Emerging Security Risks Will Challenge Leaders
    • Leadership for Peace: Finding the Third Way in a Two-Dimensional World
    • Clarity Through Crisis: Developing Leaders for Peace in a VUCA World
    • Leading in Complexity at the Climate-Environment-Peace Nexus
    • Leadership for Peace and Emerging Technologies
    • What Lessons for Leading Peace and Mediation Processes from the Experience of a Young Woman Leader Promoting Peace and Security in and for Liberia?
    • Leading with a Human Rights Lens to Peacebuilding: Exploring the Intersection of Conflict Resolution and Human Rights with Neuroscience and Behavioural Insights
    • Strengthening Women Leadership for Peace: What Principles of Leadership are Critical and Why?

 

VIDEOS AND PODCASTS