Vienna 2006

CONFERENCE SUMMARY

AGENDA

The Changing Role of the Spouse
Sweden

  • Requirements before leaving for a posting:
  • Safety and security
  • Employment for the spouse
  • Good schooling for the children.
  • Proposal
  • – Better Family Policy on the part of MFAs

Families in Difficult Situations (Finland)

  • Security at post
  • Evacuations
  • General Accident Insurance for officers and dependants while on posting abroad:
  • Proposals
  • Briefing of spouses on security matters before going on difficult posts
  • In case of evacuation, the policy of repatriation of families should be defined; interim schooling for children in the same school system guaranteed.
  • MFAs should not only insure the officer, but also spouse and children on postings

Family Officer Models

  • Dutch MFA Family Officer
  • President of the UK Association

COADM/COPRO: an update
Austria

  • COADM/COPRO is the EU working entity where the welfare of MFA Officers and dependants is discussed

WORKSHOPS

  • MFA Family Officer – job description
  • Association Achievements – Negotiation Strategies
  • How to Keep an Association Alive
  • Post Reports – Template created by Ireland
  • Bilateral Agreements

Guest Speaker
Mary MacKinnon, spouse of the Canadian Ambassador in Cairo

  • The Global Staircase: the issue of mobility for spouses and families