The Multinational Stand-By High Readiness Brigade for United Nations Operations (SHIRBRIG), with headquarters in Garderkasernen, Høvelte, 30 kilometres north of Copenhagen, Denmark, is composed of units from a number of Member States that provide a rapid deployment capability to the world Organization's peacekeeping operations.

SHIRBRIG headquarters in Høvelte, Denmark/photos courtesy of SHIRBRIG

SHIRBRIG was established on 15 December 1996, when seven like-minded countries interested in pursuing efforts to reinforce the UN Stand-by Arrangement System, through effective and continuous pre-deployment planning, signed the letter of intent and Memoranda of Understanding, on which the is based. Currently, it has 16 members consisting of Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Argentina has temporarily suspended its active participation, while eight other nations participate as observers (Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Jordan, Portugal and Senegal).

The key aspects that illustrate the ethos of SHIRBRIG are:

• Any deployment must be mandated by the UN Security Council.
  
  
• Although originally established for the UN missions under Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter, more robust missions are considered on a case-by-case basis.
  
  
• In principle, it could be deployed anywhere in the world.
  
  Since its formation, SHIRBRIG has participated in the following missions:

1. United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), from November 2000 to March 2001, deploying at headquarters (95 staff officers and support), a Danish headquarters company (200 troops) and one CA/NL infantry battalion (600 troops).
2. In March 2003, SHIRBRIG provided a planning team of three staff officers to assist the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the planning of a peacekeeping mission in Côte d´Ivoire.
3. In September 2003, it deployed 19 members to assist in forming the  core of the interim headquarters of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
   
   
   
   

   One of the UNMIL members meeting the local population

   
   
   
4. In 2004, SHIRBRIG deployed 17 members to Sudan as part of the United Nations Advanced Mission in the Sudan (UNAMIS), and in 2005 it provided the nucleus of the Force headquarters, the Joint Military Committee Office (88 staff officers and support) and the Italian Headquarters and Security Company (220 troops) for the UN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS).
5. In 2006, SHIRBRIG was called upon to assist the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations in planning for a possible deployment to establish a divisional headquarters in Darfur as part of the transition of the African Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) to UNMIS, and three Norwegian officers were sent on a six months tour of duty in the area.
   

SHIRBRIG has also embarked on a series of initiatives to assist the African Union and various regional organizations to establish the African Stand-by Forces, a regional initiative based on the SHIRBRIG model. This partnership adds significant value to the development of a rapid response system designed to contribute to peacekeeping in Africa.

EASBRIG and SHIRBRIG Planning Element in Nairobi

The firm commitments of all Member States, together with their determined intent to expand their numbers so as to increase global representation in support of peace and security, will continue in order to maintain international appreciation for SHIRBRIG, as expressed by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan in January 2002, who stated that SHIRBRIG has already proven its utility in the deployment of UNMEE. "There, a force that had trained together and developed a high degree of coherence was able to arrive and establish itself quickly in the theatre of operation, thereby sending a message of competence and commitment." Also as stated by the UN Security Council in its resolution 1590 (2005) of 24 March 2005, "expressing its appreciation for the important contributions of SHIRBRIG towards the planning, preparation and initial deployment of a peacekeeping operation, as well as the preparatory work by UNAMIS", at the highest possible level.

For further information on SHIRBRIG, visit www.shirbrig.dk