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Statement by Mr. R.K. Pachnanda, Director General,

Indo-Tibetan Border Police at the 2nd United Nations

Chiefs of Police Summit, New York

21 June 2018

 

 

Thank you Chair,

 

             We thank the Secretary-General for organizing this useful Summit.

 

2.       We are happy to join this Summit since it provides a useful opportunity to share experiences and best practices to further the objectives of professional policing aspects of UN peacekeeping operations.

 

3.       We recall that while Civilian Police was deployed by the UN for the first time in 1960 in its operation in Congo, it is only in the last three decades that the role of the Police in UN peacekeeping has expanded. It reflects the changing nature of armed conflicts, which are increasingly becoming intra-state.

 

4.       In such situations, the UN Police has now assumed an important role in peacekeeping operations, particularly in transition missions.

 

Chair,

 

5.       India is not only the largest cumulative troop contributor but also one of the top police contributors with 552 police personnel currently deployed in various missions including in Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cyprus and South Sudan. Since 1995, around 2700 Indian police officials have been deployed in UN Peacekeeping operations.

 

6.       The professionalism of the first ever all-women FPU deployed by India at the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), who served as a role model to Liberian women, has been widely recognized. The percentage of Liberian women in their country’s security sector increased three times following the deployment of the all-female Indian contingent.

 

7.       We have consistently and ably demonstrated our unflinching resolve to shoulder our responsibilities.

 

8.       During the 2015 Leaders’ Summit on Peacekeeping, India had pledged three Formed Police Units (FPUs) including an all-women unit. While one of the FPUs is ready for assessment and deployment, we look forward for the early deployment of the remaining pledged FPUs.  

 

Chair,

 

9.       The timing of deployment and role of the police in peacekeeping varies according to specific contexts. Their capabilities and responsibilities are distinct from the military peacekeeping troops. Their mandates also have to be clearly aligned with the tasks they are trained to handle and distinct from those of the peacekeeping troops.

 

10.     The primary role of the police in UN peacekeeping missions is to train and build capacity of the host nation to enable them to build sufficient expertise and skills in policing, which is an important task in enforcing and maintaining the rule of law. The police assist in building peace; implementation of security sector reform; provision of electoral support and preventing further conflict.

 

11.     For this, both - Formed Police Units as well as Independent Police Officers are required depending upon the context and requirements.

 

12.     We stand ready to cooperate in the areas of sharing training expertise and facilities for the police forces with partner countries.

 

13.     While a rapid deployment of Formed Police Units may be required in certain contexts, such deployment should be based on clear and achievable mandates supported by adequate resources, as also well-informed decisions based on consultations between the Security Council, Police contributing countries and the UN Secretariat.

 

14.     On the ground, a closer coordination between the UN Police, host government’s law enforcement machinery and the civilian population is essential to improve the efficiency of policing in the context of a mission.

 

15.     We believe that situational awareness within the mission jurisdiction is of importance for the effectiveness of a Mission. At the same time, we understand the sensitivities involved and the need for a careful and cautious approach on these issues.

 

16.     Further, a more structured and regular interface between the UN Police and military components of the mission is also necessary.

 

 

17.     In this context, we support the idea of compiling field experiences and best practices followed by the UN Police in various peacekeeping missions.

 

Chair,

 

18.     In conclusion, as a longstanding contributor, India looks forward to continuing active engagement and contribution to UN peacekeeping operations.

 

Thank you.