Secretary-General, in Message for United Nations Police Week, Applauds Pivotal Contributions, Sacrifices to Cause of Lasting Peace

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, as delivered by Susana Malcorra, Chef de Cabinet, at the tenth meeting of the Heads of United Nations Police Components, today, in New York:

I am pleased to convey my greetings to the tenth meeting of Heads of United Nations Police Components.  Let me begin with a simple and sincere thank you for your critical work.

Again and again around the world, we have seen when the rule of law is strong and security institutions are vibrant, peace processes are far more likely to succeed.  The opposite is also true.  When people lack trust or confidence in the administration of justice, it is very difficult for peace to take root.

In every sense of the term, police are on the frontline in the transition from violence to post-conflict societies.  You are the linchpin.  It is little wonder that the High-Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations recognized your work as an essential tool across the full spectrum of United Nations peace operations and beyond.

At the same time, we know we can do more to ensure that United Nations policing effectively operates in the challenging environments of today.  Together, we can refine staffing and recruitment modalities, such as specialized police teams and civilian experts.  We can further improve the management and performance of formed police units.

I recognize the complexities you face.  Increasing the United Nations Police capabilities to meet the demands of our sophisticated mandates is central.

In my report on the Future of United Nations Peace Operations, I draw on the reviews of peacebuilding and on women, peace and security. 

Today, I would like to focus on four common priorities that are relevant to your work in the field:  first, bringing prevention and mediation to the centre of international peace and security; second, changing how we plan and conduct United Nations peace operations; [and] third, recognizing the critical role of women in forging peace.

As one looks around the room, and around the world, we still see too few women in your ranks.  We are doing much better on this challenge. The last few years have witnessed more female police officers serving than at any time in United Nations history.  We have helped usher in a seven-fold increase in the number of female police officers in the last decade.  Even so, today, female police officers make up 12 per cent of United Nations Police ranks — so we have much more distance to reach our intermediate goal of 20 percent. 

Fourth and finally, fostering partnerships.

I welcome your progress on the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Police Peacekeeping.  I also look forward to the results of the external review of functions, structure and capacity of the Police Division.  I intend to present these in my forthcoming report on your work.  This process will provide an opportunity to consider broader questions on your place in the United Nations peacebuilding and peacekeeping architecture, your role in addressing emerging threats such as organized crime, and your efforts to help host-States boost their own capacities.

During the recent Peacekeeping Summit, some police-contributing countries and Member States pledged scarce and much-needed policing resources.  This was an important step towards ensuring that you have the skills and capacities you need to deliver effectively.  Your dialogues with the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations this afternoon and with the Security Council on Friday are critical steps towards renewing our engagement with Member States.  I also salute your plan to convene a United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit next year. 

During this United Nations Police Week, I encourage you to discuss and identify ways to implement the priorities I have outlined today.  I particularly look to you, as the leaders of United Nations Police in the field, to ensure compliance with my zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.

Let us work together, to protect the good name of peacekeeping and uphold the trust placed in us by the people who need us most.  The officers you command day in day out work tirelessly to build new police services from the ground up and protect civilians.  They are the first responders and the very face of the United Nations.  So let me conclude where I began, by thanking all of them — through all of you — for the pivotal contributions and sacrifices of United Nations Police for the cause of lasting peace.