In 2001 the government founded the ICRU, a team of police officers, nurses, doctors and engineers which could be deployed to potential trouble spots around the world as a civilian peacekeeping mission at short notice (EIU 2006t, 11). All members of the Icelandic staff are civilians (NATO/KFOR 2003, par. 4).
Also Iceland has participated in the USA-led coalitions in Afghanistan (EIU 2006t, 12). The ICRU has participated in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka (Ibid.). Iceland contributes to international efforts to secure peace in the Darfur Region (PMI 2005b, 1).
In 2004, Iceland had an agreement with UNDP on reconstruction in Iraq; and, within the same year, welcomed UN Security Council Resolution 1546 on Iraq, sent Medical Assistance to Afghanistan, assumed "Focal-Point" Role in Kabul Airport and signed Agreement with the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (PMI 2005a, 1). In 2005 Iceland contributed to NATO's airlift operation in support of Pakistan following a massive earthquake, and many others (PMI 2005c, 1).The Government of Iceland has decided to allocate 60 million Iskr or the equivalent of 1 million USD to the international humanitarian and reconstruction effort in the Darfur region in Sudan. This was announced at the International Donors Conference that took place in Oslo on April 11-12, 2005. Iceland´s contribution will be twofold. Firstly it will consist of a 0,5 million USD donation to the Multi Donor Trust Funds, administered by the World Bank. Secondly, it will be in the form of financing the deployment of Icelandic civilian experts from the ICRU to the Darfur region. ICRU´s experts are specialized in peacekeeping, reconstruction and humanitarian missions. Plans for their deployment are currently under consideration. (Ibid.)
Initial variables of the data collection process:
UN/UN peacekeeping policy reform
No record.
Perception of peacekeeping
As a country with a long non-military tradition, Iceland’s participation in the "coalition of the willing" a list of countries that supported the US-led military action in Iraq in 2003 caused considerable disquiet, as the vast majority of Icelanders were strongly opposed to the Iraq war (EIU 2006t, 11).
This was particularly the case when it emerged that no formal parliamentary decision to join the coalition had been taken. There was also controversy in 2004 over Iceland’s participation in international peacekeeping activities. In 2001 the government founded the ICRU, a team of police officers, nurses, doctors and engineers which could be deployed to potential trouble spots around the world as a civilian peacekeeping mission at short notice. (Ibid.)
In 2003, an Icelandic mission assumed responsibility for the administration of Pristina airport in Kosovo, a 12-month operation that was widely viewed as a success (Ibid., 12).
However, a similar mission by a 17-strong team in 2004 at Kabul airport in Afghanistan ended with the unit being recalled ahead of schedule, after three members were injured in a bomb attack, which also resulted in two fatalities. This created problems in Iceland. It emerged, to the consternation of many critics at home, that the IRCU staff had been fully armed, which was seemingly in contradiction of their strictly civilian status. Despite this controversy, however, the IRCU has since been redeployed in Afghanistan and is also present in Sri Lanka and Kosovo. (Ibid.)
For 2007, the government will continue to emphasize Nordic co-operation extending to the Baltic region over the outlook period (EIU 2006bq, 2). Particular attention will be focused on renewable energy issues and environmental protection priorities during Iceland’s recent presidencies of the Nordic Council and the Council of Baltic Sea States (Ibid.).
Iceland’s security policy is based on two principal pillars: NATO membership and a long-standing defence agreement with the US (Ibid.).
The government will continue to emphasize the importance of NATO in defence co-operation. Following the recent closure of the Keflavik US military base and the departure of US forces Iceland will have to assume a more active role with regard to its own defence and security, but the US has confirmed its commitment to safeguard Iceland with its military forces, if required. (Ibid.)
Domestic economic environment
Iceland enjoys a standard of living among the highest in the world (BBC 2006w, par. 2). For many years its prosperity depended on the fishing industry (Ibid.). While fish still makes up a large proportion of exports, it now accounts for less than 10 per cent of gross domestic product (Ibid.). The economy is developing in new areas, not least tourism (Ibid.). Peacekeeping has been a permanent item in the Icelandic state budget since 1994, and Iceland has been an active member of the UN Peacekeeping Committee since 1997 (State 2006, par. 39).
Military affairs
As a remote island with a small population, Iceland has had to look abroad for its security (EIU 2006t, 11). Without armed forces of its own, Iceland’s security has been largely guaranteed by virtue of its membership of NATO and the 1951 bilateral defence agreement with the US, under which that country’s navy maintains a base at Keflavik (Ibid.).
Foreign policy
Iceland is a founding member of NATO and participates in the UN and the OSCE (MFA-Iceland 2006b, par. 1). Iceland has decided to put forward its candidacy to the Security Council for the period 2009-2010 (Ibid.). The most important international treaty entered into by Iceland during recent times is the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement, which came into effect on January 1994 (EIU 2006t, 12). The most important topics of the Icelandic foreign policy are: the United Nations and its agencies, ocean issues, law of the sea, democracy, human rights, humanitarian aid, and refugees (MFA-Iceland 2006a, par.1).
Additional variables found after the preliminary analysis:
Climate changes
No record.
Independent negotiations taken by DPKO to seek troops
No record.
Independent negotiations taken by contributor countries to engage non-contributor countries
As a country with a long non-military tradition, Iceland’s participation in the "coalition of the willing" list of countries that supported the US-led military action in Iraq in 2003 caused considerable disquiet, as the vast majority of Icelanders were strongly opposed to the Iraq war (Ibid., 11).
Meetings organized by other international organizations to engage in dialogue about peacekeeping
As a member of NATO, Iceland participates in NATO peacekeeping operations (Ibid.).
