Veronika Weidringer

Name: Veronika Weidringer
Function: Coordinator Civil Affairs Section

Coordinator Civil Affairs Section

UN-Mission MONUSCO in Kindu, Provinz Maniema, DR Kongo

September 2010 - Oktober 2012

 

Career:

  • Studied geography with a focus on development studies and resource management in Africa and Latin America

  • Project management, development policy, humanitarian aid coordination, good governance

  • Thesis work in the Dominican Republic, as well as time in Mali, Haiti and DR Congo

  • ZIF Expert since 2008: first position as coordinator

  • Perspective: Further deployments to peace operations, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) or the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

 

As coordinator in the civil affairs section,

I work on protection of civilians, support to civil society, governance and conflict prevention in MONUSCO’s regional office in Kindu together two national staff members. Even though Maniema is considered a post-conflict area, civilians are still subject to violence in the areas bordering other conflict provinces. One of my tasks is planning and organising flights to these areas to assess the security and humanitarian situation. Based on the findings of the Joint Assessment Missions which we carry out together with other mission components, UN agencies and the provincial government, I develop recommendations for action.

 

Why a Peace operation?

From the outset of my studies, I have wanted to work in the area of development. After all these years, this remains the motivation for my work in peace operations, even when this entails difficult living conditions.

My most formative experience

The 2010 earthquake in Haiti was an extreme situation at the professional and the personal level. I was working for the UN in Port-au-Prince, when our headquarters was completely destroyed. MINUSTAH lost 96 staff members in the earthquake. Although this was close to the limits of my resilience, the work there has also helped me process the traumatic effects.

 

„Doing meaningful and important work is a strong driver.“