Silje has a MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies/London School of Economics and has since her graduation in 2000 built up broad international experience.
Her first job was as a junior advisor to a Task Force Group set up by UK PM Tony Blair in order to revise UK’s Africa policy. From September 2001 Silje worked for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo assisting the Norwegian delegation during Norway’s rotational membership in the Security Council. As a part of this engagement Silje visited programmes supported by Norway in Ethiopia and Eritrea and further assisted in forming Norwegian policy on Somalia and the Sudan.
In 2001/2002 Silje attended the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs diplomatic academy (aspirantkurset) and later worked as an embassy secretary for the Norwegian Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel until 2005. From Israel, Silje transferred to Vienna, Austria, where she worked for 4 ½ year as a first embassy secretary for the Norwegian delegation accredited to the International Atom Energy Agency.
Silje has also worked with refugees as a UN consultant in DRC and Congo-Brazzaville and as a trainee at the UN High Commissionaire for Refugees in Geneva. Moreover she has experience as a peace observer from the Norwegian Latin-America groups and Save the Children in Guatemala. Silje has also lived twice in Santiago in the Dominican Republic.
- I look forward to learn more about the exciting strengthening process which the African Union, UNECA and IGAD are currently going through. Hopefully I can contribute with knowledge I acquired about development, conflict and Africa through my studies, Silje says. Silje hopes to learn a lot about Ethiopia’s culture and see a great development in the country in the coming years.
The embassy welcomes Silje and looks forward to having her as a part of the embassy team.