Pia Stjernvall appointed Head of Mission of the EU civilian crisis management mission in Afghanistan
The European Union has appointed Counsellor Pia Stjernvall to the position of Head of Mission of EUPOL Afghanistan (European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan) as from 16 February 2015. Stjernvall has served as Deputy Head of Mission since June 2014.
Stjernvall is the only woman to head an EU civilian crisis management mission. Increasing the share of women in crisis management, including in positions of leadership, is an important goal for Finland. The share of women in Finland’s civilian crisis management personnel, nearly 40 per cent, is high by international comparison and is the highest of all EU countries.
Launched in 2007, the EU Police Mission in Afghanistan is the EU’s second largest civilian crisis management mission. Its mandate is to support the police reform as part of the country’s security sector reform. About 350 people from over 20 countries are employed in the mission.
EUPOL Afghanistan works to promote the development of civilian policing, the rule of law and human rights in three areas: it supports reform of the Ministry of Interior of Afghanistan, the professionalisation of the Afghan civilian police service, and better linking of civilian police activities to the legal sector, among others through cooperation between police and prosecutors.
Afghanistan remains one of Finland’s crisis management priorities. About one out of four Finnish experts sent to civilian crisis management missions works in the EUROPOL mission. When at the highest figure, about 40 Finnish experts served in EUPOL at the same time, about half of them police officers and the rest experts in, for example, human rights, equality and development of the rule of law. In February 2015, 26 Finnish experts work in the mission.
Stjernvall has extensive experience of international tasks, especially in Africa and Afghanistan. Earlier, Stjernvall has worked, among others, as interim Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Finland in Kabul, Afghanistan, as Finland’s Deputy Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-HABITAT in Nairobi, and in the Embassies of Finland in Kenya and Hungary. Before transferring to EUPOL Afghanistan, Stjernvall was Special Representative for International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Additional information: Director Mikko Kinnunen, Unit for Security Policy and Crisis Management, tel. +358 295 351 820.
Requests for interviews: Sari Haukka-Konu, Press & Public Information Officer, EUPOL Afghanistan, tel. +93 793 990 597, [email protected]
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