The United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS)

Statement by Mr. Tapan Kumar Deka , Director, Intelligence Bureau 
01 September 2022

Thank you Chair,

At the outset I would like to place on record our appreciation and thanks to Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, United Nations Police Adviser and Director of the Police Division Luís Carrilho and the UN Police Division for organizing this important Summit. 

2.    We are happy that we are able to participate in this Summit, in-person, since it provides a useful opportunity to share experiences and best practices to further the shared objectives of professional policing in UN Peacekeeping Missions. India pays tribute to the men and women who serve in UN peacekeeping operations for their professionalism, dedication, and courage. 

3.    The institution of Police across the world is the most important civilian law enforcement organ and, more importantly, the public face of security institutions. People’s faith in police or lack thereof substantially impacts the security and law & order situation in any society. 

4.     The police components are increasingly becoming an integral part of United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions. The contribution of United Nations Police to peacekeeping and post-conflict peace building cannot be over emphasized. 

5.    Indian Police personnel have a longstanding association with United Nations Policing. More than 3,000 Police officers and personnel from India have served in about 24 UN Missions around the world. India deployed the UN’s first all women FPU contingent in Liberia in 2007. Dr. Kiran Bedi, an Indian Police Officer became the first Indian and first woman appointed as the United Nations Police Adviser and head of the UN Police Division in 2003.Ms. Shakti Devi was awarded the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award in 2014 for her contribution in the creation of a Women’s Police Council in Herat in Afghanistan, during her deployment in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

6.      Peacekeeping missions constitute a critical pillar of the UN in the promotion of international peace and security. But unless we respond to the myriad and complex challenges they face, their ability to deliver on their mandate will continue to be undermined. To begin with, we need to forge convergences on key challenges. 

7.     It is evident that the nature of UN Peacekeeping Missions has changed from simple ceasefire monitoring missions of the 20^th century to the complex multidimensional missions of today. Today’s missions deal with complex nature of armed conflicts. Conflicts are now more intra-state rather than inter-state. Proliferation of non-state actors including terrorists, and armed groups, operating in nexus with international organized crime, have rendered conflict theaters more violent and riskier. There has been a sharp rise in the asymmetric attacks targeting peacekeepers, particularly in some Mission-deployed areas in Africa, with easy access to sophisticated weapons and technology. Such threats with inadequate resources to meet these threats have increasingly compromised the safety and security of peacekeepers.

8.    Further, sustainable political solutions, which should guide the design and deployment of UN peacekeeping operations, are often missing. In states hosting UN multidimensional missions, often state institutions and security infrastructure are absent or ineffective in many places. Sometimes, host State and Peacekeeping Mission relationship is tenuous, leading to lack of coordination. Such relationship also impinges on Mission’s freedom of movement and reduces its effectiveness. 

9.    In addition, differing political and strategic interests in the Security Council sometimes result in broadly defined, complex, and ambiguous mandates. Such mandates lack clear focus and priorities, resulting, inter alia, in diversion of scarce resources and duplication of mandated operations being undertaken by other relevant organizations. 

10. Lastly, performance appraisal of missions needs to be more comprehensive and standardized, holding all civilian and uniformed peacekeepers, particularly leadership, accountable for effective performance under common parameters.

11.         To address these challenges, we recommend the following for consideration of this august gathering of police leadership from around the globe:

(a)      First, we need to develop agile, effective, and “fit-for-purpose” systems and processes for UN Peacekeeping and Policing Missions that can keep pace with the volatile and extremely complex security environment. Capabilities of missions need to be enhanced with new technology-based applications, one such example being UNITE AWARE platform, that was initiated under the Indian Presidency of the UN Security Council in August 2021. It helps provide UN Peacekeepers real time terrain information and situational awareness of threats against UN peacekeepers. The linkages between transnational crime and armed groups necessitate that UN Police and troops work in tandem. We need to seriously consider- where appropriate- joint training, information sharing and consultative decision making to enhance overall effectiveness of the Mission.

(b) Second, we need to reaffirm the primacy of inclusive and consultative political process in the resolution of conflicts. This would imply stronger commitment to advance political solutions through complimentary political objectives and coordinated strategies, including at national and regional levels. Peacekeeping Missions devoid of political solutions run the risk of existing in perpetuity without securing lasting peace. 

(c)  Third, if sustainable peace is the ultimate objective of UN Missions, Missions should be able to draw down by handing over responsibility to functional and capable host state institutions. Host state institutions need to be gradually built up to take on this responsibility. The Security Council Resolution 2589 on “Protection of Protectors” – which was, if fact, piloted by India during its Presidency of the Council in August 2021 - while calling for accountability for crimes against Peacekeepers, also calls for building host state capacities in judicial, investigative, correctional, and prosecutorial aspects.

(d)    Fourth, the Mission mandates need to be realistic and focused, drawn up with consultations with relevant stakeholders and importantly, with major Troop Contributing Countries. There needs to be clear communication between the Mission, host states and the civilians that they are protecting. Civilians need to clearly understand the mission’s mandate and their expectations need to be realistic. 

(e)     Finally, practical performance evaluation parameters for entire mission need to be evolved. The Integrated Peacekeeping Performance and Accountability Framework (IPPAF) and Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System (CPAS) need to be realistic, Mission-specific, and applicable to all relevant components, both uniformed and non-uniformed. Performance evaluation would be effective only if it translates into corrective actions. 

12.    Mr. President, 

As a founding member of the United Nations and having contributed to UN peacekeeping since its inception, India remains committed to all efforts under the blue flag in securing the pursuit of peace. 

I thank you, Mr. President.

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