This seminar takes place in the context of Ireland and Norway’s 2021-22 membership of the UN Security Council. It seeks to provide national, regional and global outlooks that relate to national security, well-being and prosperity. While focusing on the three main institutions for peace and security – UN, EU and NATO – the panel of experts also offer national perspectives. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney T.D., provides opening remarks at this seminar.

The panel includes:

Jacqui McCrum, Secretary General of the Department of Defence

Ambassador Øystein Bø, Permanent Representative of Norway to NATO

Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces

Dr Kari M. Osland, Senior Research Fellow for Peace, Conflict and Development at NUPI

About the Speakers:

Jacqui McCrum joined the Department of Defence as Secretary General in August 2020. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Secretary General in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. Previously, she was the Director General and Accounting Officer in the Office of the Ombudsman, Offices of the Information Commissioner and Commissioner for Environmental Information, among others.

Ambassador Øystein Bø was appointed as Norway’s Permanent Representative to NATO in 2018. Previously, he was a Senior Advisor in the Section for Security Policy and North America and served as State Secretary for the Norwegian Ministry of Defence from 2013.

Lieutenant General Seán Clancy is the newly appointed Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces. Previously, he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff served in appointments including Squadron Commander, Chief of Air Staff Support in Air Corps Headquarters and Director of the Strategic Planning Branch on the Chief of Defence’s Staff.

Dr Kari Osland is a Senior Research Fellow in the Research Group for Peace, Conflict and Development at NUPI. Her work focuses predominancy on conflict dynamics, insurgencies, peace operations and peace building. Dr Osland has provided consultancy work to the UN, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to the Norwegian Policy Directorate. She has work experience in the Balkans, Afghanistan and in Africa (Niger, South Sudan, Sudan).