UNITED NATIONS, Feb 06 (APP): Against the backdrop of budget cuts and a severe liquidity crisis, United Nations peace operations and their police contingents are making hard choices \u2014 often in very difficult conditions \u2014 to deliver on their mandates, the UN Security Council was told by senior officers on Thursday.
\nThe occasion was the annual briefing to the Council members from the heads of police components of United Nations peace operations.
\nBriefing the 15-member Council, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix stressed that, while \u201cefficiency is essential\u201d, it \u201ccannot replace predictable and sustainable financing\u201d. He called for greater support for international police officers deployed to field missions at a time when financial resources are dwindling and multilateralism is waning.
\n\u201cDespite severe constraints, our police personnel continue to serve with dedication, professionalism and courage,\u201d he said. \u201cThey operate in environments of persistent insecurity, political volatility, and growing operational risks.\u201d
\nPeace operations depend on UN Police (UNPOL) for community engagement, institutional reform, and prevention of criminal and inter-communal violence.
\nOfficers also address challenges that require a policing response, including in environments with high-density populations such as displacement camps, among other duties.
\n\u201cUnited Nations Police remain a key component of UN peacekeeping and play an indispensable role in fulfilling our mandates,\u201d Lacroix said.
\nHe stressed that Member States, host countries, uniformed and civilian personnel all share responsibility for ensuring the success of peacekeeping.
\nFaisal Shahkar, Police Adviser and Director of the Police Division, said that continued political and financial engagement of Member States was “critical” to ensuring that the United Nations Police remains fit for purpose and responsive to the evolving challenges of today\u2019s complex security environment.
\n“This year\u2019s Police Week takes place at a moment of reflection and transition,\u201d said Shahkar, a Pakistani national, citing strained multilateralism, fragile geopolitics and persistent conflict.
\n\u201cYet, United Nations police remain a cornerstone\u201d in supporting peace, protecting civilians and building accountable institutions, he said, warning of tougher security environments, organized crime, disinformation and resource constraints.
\nDespite challenges, he cited successes in the Central African Republic and Abyei, urging Member States to sustain momentum so gains \u201care preserved\u201d.
\n“Your continued support remains critical in ensuring that the United Nations Police can fulfill our mandated tasks and remain a vital tool for peace and security,” Shahkar told member states.
\nMeinolf Schlotmann, Police Commissioner of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said the country’s vast size and poor access mean the Mission cannot \u201cbe everywhere at once\u201d, requiring prioritization of high-risk areas and long-range patrols.
\nUN police, he said, aims to \u201cprotect today\u201d while helping build a police service that can protect tomorrow, through mobile, rapidly deployable patrols and support to humanitarian corridors.
\nBut, liquidity-driven cuts \u2014 including a 15 per cent budget reduction \u2014 have sharply reduced personnel and mobility, even as teams \u201ccontinue to deliver\u201d by adapting their approach.
\nMamouna Ouedraogo, Head of the Police Component of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), said officers work in \u201cone of the world\u2019s most challenging security environments\u201d, with efforts shifting \u201cdecisively towards prevention and protection\u201d.
\nShe noted liquidity measures have cut police deployments to about half strength, prioritizing displacement-affected areas and protection of women and children.
\n\u201cEffective policing is not peripheral,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is foundational\u201d to civilian protection, accountability and sustainable stabilization.<\/p>\n