Visit to the UN Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE)

The RSCE is a shared service centre for United Nations field missions in Central and East Africa. The centre was established in 2010, and currently serve a total of approximately 16,000 personnel in 9 missions, together comprising almost 60 per cent of UN peacekeeping. The RESCE has about 420 staff.

RSCE services all peacekeeping (PK) and special political missions(SPM) in Africa –  about 12. The services they provide are administrative, including salaries, benefits, travel support, ICT, training and logistics. RSCE is under the Department of Field Support of the UN Secretariat.

As one of the main pillars of the Global Field Support Strategy –a five-year (2010-2015) change management initiative of the UN Department of Field Support – the centre is committed to supporting United Nations peace operations in a changing and challenging global reality.

The visit started with a brief about the RSCE held by the chief of the RSCE, Ms. Safia Boly, and some of her staff members, followed by a tour of the premises. Amongst the providers of equipment to the RSCE-base is the Norwegian Bergen-based company W. Giertsen Hallsystems AS –  who has been one of the leading suppliers of relocatable canvas halls for use in industrial, sport, peacekeeping and emergency relief operations for several decades.

The group also met briefly with the head of the MONUSCO base at Entebbe. The MONUSCO base handles rotation of uniformed personnel, their health needs, logistics etc. The base has several warehouses with supplies, in addition to a security coordination center.