Inlägg av Andreas Berg

Delivering Security Sector Reform under the threat of invasion in Ukraine

18 januari, 2022

If it is indeed true that ’life imitates art far more than art imitates life’ (credit to Oscar Wilde), then the art form at play in Ukraine these days is surrealism. At least, this is how I felt as I prepared to leave Kyiv in December. I had spent almost three years as Coordination & […]

There and back again – the unexpected journeys of year COVID

9 september, 2020

What is the last ‘normal’ thing you remember doing? In the extreme year of 2020, many of us have asked this question, trying to remember the last event or activity where we blissfully, innocently, spent time in public spaces without caution, moving through crowds, kissing cheeks, and sharing food in a way that now feels […]

‘May you live in interesting times – in Ukraine’

3 mars, 2020

Almost six months ago I wrote about the prospects for reform in Ukraine following the decisive election of a new president and parliament, driven by the desire of the voting public for major reform and stabilization of a country still involved in an ongoing conflict. Since then, the new government has frequently been tested by […]

A fresh start for Ukraine?

13 september, 2019

When I first arrived in Kyiv six months ago, I looked out over the city from the hilltop near the office of the EU Advisory Mission for Ukraine (EUAM) where I had just started a job as Coordination and Cooperation Officer. It became immediately clear why the city came to be founded here over 1,000 […]

When keeping the peace means keeping your distance

27 juni, 2018

Summertime in Tbilisi has arrived, carried in on the back of dramatic thunderstorms sweeping in from the Black Sea, pouring down enough rain to transform the steep streets of the old town into short-lived rivers, and leaving daily temperatures slightly higher after every visit. Soon even such weather-driven drama will dissipate however, settling into a […]

Back ‘home’ in Kosovo and remembering old lessons

13 december, 2017

The distinct smell of coal dust creeps into your nose as soon as you step off the plane in Pristina, a strange and familiar welcome back greeting for those of us intimate with this small corner of Europe. I felt it again in November 2017 when I came to Kosovo for a few days of […]

The view from Tbilisi

16 augusti, 2017

Summertime in Tbilisi, and the temperature seems to permanently hover at 35 degrees. Among the crumbling mansions of the old city, maturing grapes can be plucked directly from the vines spanning the narrow streets, shaded courtyards and stone churches provide a cooling escape from the sun, and basement restaurants advertise tempting Georgian dishes heavy with […]

Returning to the field in a time of uncertainty

15 maj, 2017

For those of us who have worked abroad for FBA over the years, there is a certain familiar pattern one gets used to in this very particular world. Times of excitement, challenge, and high activity come with a new assignment in an international mission or position in the field, followed by periods of rest and […]

The view from Brussels – common challenges in uncertain times

19 oktober, 2016

Regardless of the weather (which indeed is frequently poor), a stroll around the central European Quarter of Brussels is an impressive experience. I was reminded of this when I returned to the European capital for a new assignment for the FBA this summer, as Strategic Planner within the European External Action Service (EEAS.) Walking up […]

Reform is neither a marathon nor a sprint race—it’s both

18 november, 2015

​In international missions and post conflict environments—as in so many other areas of life—it is often easier to start something than to finish it. The start of a new project or mission tends to elicit, among those of us who love this work, excitement, curiosity, and eagerness to make a difference in a new setting. Indeed, stepping […]