Interview with EU Special Representative Olof Skoog

The Press Office had the opportunity to interview the EU Special Representative for
Human Rights Olof Skoog about his recent appointment and his priorities for the
years to come.

Congratulations on your appointment as a new EU Special Representative for
Human Rights. Could you share with us your views on your goals and objectives
assuming this important role? What are your priorities in addressing the current
global human rights and democracy challenges?

Thank you. As you know, my mandate encompasses all human rights as well as
international humanitarian law and international criminal justice everywhere in the
world except the EU. My mandate is an honour but it is also a great challenge in its
scope. I can easily spend all my time focusing only on major crises which have been
looming far and close. It is clear that I need to calibrate and prioritize my activities
and my methods of work.
First of all, I will be reminding everybody that we as the EU need to keep human
rights at the centre of our foreign policy agenda as our strategic offer to other
countries and their people. Human rights are not a choice, they are embedded in
what we are as a foreign policy actor. I plan to spend more political energy on
countries where we have leverage and where there is inclination to move in the right
direction. We should be always ready to assist other countries’ in their human rights
journey and share experiences from our own travel. I plan to work on our human
rights narrative and on our tone, in particular with countries of the so-called Global
South. Sometimes, our message is right but needs to be repackaged. I am also
looking at longer term and more sustained engagement, starting with getting a “foot
in the door” with the most difficult countries. Last but not least, I wish to rely on and
work closely with international institutions, such as the UN and its agencies and
mechanisms. They have legitimacy, authority, impartiality and expertise. We need
them to build bridges and depoliticize human rights debates between countries. I
also believe that we need to better link our bilateral cooperation with multilateral
discussions in New York and Geneva.

In your opinion what are the most important challenges and topics in the Human
Rights agenda of the EU external relations?

One of the key issues I have identified during my first months as EUSR is bringing
coherence to the EU’s human rights action and connecting our internal and external
policies. Nobody does more for human rights in the world than the European Union,
financially and politically. However, we are sometimes fragmented and disjointed.
Sometimes, we work in silos. And we need to be more rigorous in applying high
human rights standards at home to be a credible human rights force on the global
scene. We need to “connect these dots”.
Among the most important topics and challenges, I want to point out new
technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, business activity as well as the climate
change and environmental issues at large. These are new areas shaping the human
rights agenda of our times. The EU has been and will continue to be a frontrunner in
all these areas, advocating for a human rights-based and human-centric approach.

What is the added value for the EU to continue being a long time partner of the
Global Campus of Human Rights network?

The EU has been a proud partner and supporter of the Global Campus since its
conception. Investing in future human rights practitioners - be they academics, civil
society advocates, or public officials - is an investment in resilience against growing
attacks on international human rights law and multilateral institutions underpinning
it. It is also an investment in peace, security and development for human rights are
the best prevention and the safest road to prosperity. During my visit to Venice, I was
impressed by Global Campus students and alumni, by the faculty and by the pace of
growth of your academic network. And I must add that my own office benefits from
this growing and vibrant community in a very concrete way. We offer one internship
post every year to a fresh Global Campus graduate. I am looking forward to welcome
another alumna or alumnus in my team early next year!

Could you give a personal message to students, professors, alumni, partners and
staff of the Global Campus of Human Rights?

I wish you all to keep up and nurture a passion for human rights, which is arguably
the most important ingredient for sustaining the relevance of human rights across
the world and making human rights tangible and universal public goods for everyone,
everywhere.

For more information contact our Press and Communications PR Offices:
Elisa Aquino – Isotta Esposito – Francesca Sante
pressoffice@gchumanrights.org - communications@gchumanrights.org

Read interviews and updates in our seasonal digital Global Campus of Human Rights
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Stay tuned for the 13th issue of the Magazine coming soon in August in English and
Italian.

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