S/PV.8661 Security Council

In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations; Ms. Marie-Joseph Fitah-Kona, Adviser to the Mayor of the Third Arrondissement of Bangui; Mr. Awale Abdounasir, Police Commissioner of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ms. Mary Gahonzire, Police Commissioner of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei; and Mr. Issoufou Yacouba, Police Commissioner of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. I offer my apologies to all of them for any mispronunciations. Ms. Fitah-Kona is joining the meeting via video- teleconference from Bangui. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The intention of this meeting is for us to be as interactive as we were during the same briefing in November 2018 (see S/PV.8393) and as we try to be during our dialogue with the Force Commanders. We are looking forward to questions from Council members to the Commissioners, and from the Commissioners to the Council, which is why I am going to ask my Council colleagues to show excessive discipline and keep their statements brief so as to give more time to the Commissioners to respond. I would therefore also ask our briefers to try to be as brief as possible. Setting the tone will be Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, to whom I give the floor. Mr. Lacroix: Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this briefing on the strategic priorities of United Nations police components in peace operations. I am pleased to be joined by our Police Commissioners currently serving in Abyei, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali. This annual briefing serves as an opportunity to reaffirm the vital role that United Nations police (UNPOL) play in peace operations and to reflect on the ways in which we might better support their essential work, from conflict prevention to peacekeeping and peacebuilding. In 2018, the Secretary-General launched the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, calling on all stakeholders to collectively address the challenges facing peacekeeping and to renew their collective engagement. I thank everyone  — police, troop and financial contributors, members of the General Assembly and the Security Council  — for supporting A4P. Today I will highlight some of what we have achieved through ongoing efforts to reinforce peacekeeping, as well as those areas that require progress. I also welcome Member States’ plans for advancing the A4P agenda. While the overall number of peacekeepers has decreased in recent years as a result of the closure of some of our missions that have completed their mandates, the role of police in peacekeeping is likely to grow in the near future. In fact, our missions are increasingly faced with challenges that call for a response that the United Nations police is particularly well placed to provide, including the challenge of dealing with high concentrations of the population, whether it be in urban areas or internally displaced persons camps, the need to respond to such emerging challenges and threats as organized crime and international terrorism, and the need to build the national capacities of host States, particularly in the area of the rule of law. I would like to pay tribute to our dedicated men and women serving in UNPOL, both at Headquarters and, particularly, the field, often in very difficult and challenging conditions. Partnerships with regional and subregional organizations, as well as across the United Nations system, are critical in every area of our work and particularly in facilitating transitions. In Darfur, we are collaborating closely with the African Union to plan for the transition and exit of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) with a view to sustaining gains and preventing a relapse into conflict. UNAMID and the United Nations country team have pioneered a unique approach to jointly deliver programmatic activities in four states, through state-liaison functions in three key areas, namely, the rule of law, durable solutions, resilience and livelihoods, and human rights. The role of United Nations police in ensuring the delivery of the mandated activities of the state-liaison function is critical, particularly with regard to UNAMID’s efforts to strengthen rule of law capacities. In Mali, police of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali are contributing to building key national rule of law capacities and are partnering in that effort with other stakeholders, such as the European Union. Protection is also one of the key roles of United Nations police, in close cooperation with our civilian and military colleagues. In Abyei, protection committees have been established to fill the void in the absence of a functioning police service. Owing to increased crime, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei police component has started to expand those committees, particularly among women. A total of 172 members of joint protection companies, including 18 women, have received basic training from UNPOL to provide law and order in the Amiet common market. Commissioner Gahonzire will brief the Council on the community protection committee concept in more detail. Our efforts to enhance performance are guided by the provisions of resolution 2436 (2018). We have made significant progress in that regard, including by strengthening internal evaluations as a core element of the action plan to improve the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers. Since January 2018, we have undertaken over 40 assessments of operational readiness visits. The evaluations of our police commissioners give us a comprehensive view of strength, capacities and limitations and allow us to make more informed selection decisions through monthly performance meetings, which I chair. The roll-out of the comprehensive performance assessment system (CPAS) in five missions provides a platform to assess the overall performance of our components, including that of police components. What we have seen so far is that CPAS has strengthened unity of purpose and cross- component planning, while enhancing data collection. We are also revising our approach to training. A new curriculum based on the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Police Peacekeeping will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of all UNPOL activities in the field. To oversee those efforts, the Police Division has created a task force to address the needs of our police officers across the spectrum, from predeployment assessment and training to in-mission and specialized training to post-duty care. Increasing the number of women peacekeepers means making peacekeeping more effective. To date, we have met our targets for the percentage of women peacekeepers deployed as individual officers and as part of formed units, which stands at 26.8 per cent and 10.9 per cent, respectively. As the targets are baselines not ceilings, more work remains to be done. I therefore call on police-contributing countries to redouble their efforts to deploy more women. I would like to pay tribute to Major Diouf from Senegal, currently serving in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was awarded the title of female police officer of the year yesterday. Her dedication and commitment are an inspiration to all of us and, most certainly, to her fellow female police officers, as well as to the vulnerable women she is helping every day. We all know that the whole of United Nations peacekeeping is undermined when our standards of conduct are violated, especially when it comes to sexual exploitation and abuse. I am therefore pleased to report that we have seen a steady downward trend in claims of sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping, from 104 claims in 2016 to 55 in 2018. Our continued vigilance remains essential, and we rely on the full cooperation of all troop- and police-contributing countries to advance our goal of fully implementing a zero-tolerance policy. In conclusion, while much progress has been made through the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative on making peacekeeping, including United Nations police, fit for the challenges we face, we are still at the start of the journey and we cannot go it alone. For our part, I commit to reinforcing our efforts to support political processes, enhance our performance and make peacekeeping missions stronger and safer. By aligning our reporting with the A4P agenda, we aim to provide clearer, more consistent information to inform decision-making by our Member States. UNPOL is fully committed to our collective effort to improve the performance and impact of peace operations. Allow me to reiterate that we are grateful for Member States’ ongoing commitment to our work in all areas of A4P, and in particular for the support provided to United Nations police. I trust that we can continue to count on that support.

I thank Mr. Lacroix for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Fitah-Kona.

My name is Marie-Joseph Fitah-Kona, from the Central African Republic. I am proud and very honoured to brief the Security Council, and I thank Mr. Luís Carrilho for his invitation. I am an adviser to the Mayor of the third arrondissement of Bangui, which is rightly considered as the most sensitive in the city, and perhaps even the whole country. I also hold positions in various groups in the district, specifically for the benefit of women, the Red Cross and religious associations. Through those various positions, but also as a resident and citizen of Bangui, I have been able to observe first-hand the changes in the security and humanitarian situation for many years. The changes have been positive, and the efforts of the police of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) have been instrumental. In order for the Council to better understand, I must recall what the situation in Bangui was like just a few years ago. In late 2012, early 2013, the country was plunged into considerable chaos and complete insecurity. MINUSCA arrived in September 2014 and we very quickly felt an improvement in Bangui thanks to the work of the formed police units. Through MINUSCA’s efforts, significant progress was observed within a short time. For example, free movement resumed in the district with the signing of a non-aggression pact in 2015, schools were reopened, as was the hospital, although its resources remain limited, trade resumed, the police station reopened its doors and public services and intercommunal activities gradually resumed. As a woman and a mother, I am very grateful for the communication and awareness-raising work that is being done on violence against women and on forms of sexual exploitation and abuse. There are still too many victims, some of them very young, and that is unbearable. Impunity must end. I take this opportunity to thank the Secretary General for his action during his visit to the PK5 neighbourhood in October 2017. He enabled the rehabilitation of the community centre, which today plays a very important role in strengthening social and intercommunal cohesion. Other current projects are very promising and have been developed in close collaboration with local elected representatives, of which I am one. In accordance with the wishes of the population, thanks to United Nations police (UNPOL), the police station in the third arrondissement reopened its doors to the public on 28 October and MINUSCA police officers patrol the neighbourhood based on the principle of community policing to gradually regain the confidence of the population. To that end, all the actors were able to sit around a table and jointly develop the project, with support from UNPOL, something that was not possible until recently. The first steps of the new team, including three women, are very promising, while tangible results have already been observed. For instance, dialogue has resumed between representatives of the various armed or self-defence groups, and the various religious communities are coexisting better and are even carrying out some joint activities. However, some challenges remain in the country. The peace agreements are not being implemented as fast as hoped, and there are far too many weapons in circulation, particularly in the PK5 neighbourhood. In conclusion, I thank the Council for the support it has provided to my country, but I would also like to emphasize how vital it is for that assistance to continue to be provided. The political balance is fragile, and the population has high hopes for the upcoming elections. I know that United Nations police are already working hard in that area. We welcome the recruitment of 1,000 police officers and gendarmes, who will soon be arriving to support our forces in order to secure the electoral process. We must not be abandoned, because the situation is still far too fragile. I count on the support of the Council to help us bring lasting peace to the Central African Republic. Please help us so that peace can be fully restored in the Central African Republic. Help us.

I thank Ms. Fitah-Kona for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Abdounasir.

It is an honour for me, on the occasion of the fourteenth United Nations Police Week, to use this opportunity to speak to the Security Council about the prime importance of political solutions in our efforts to prevent and combat organized crime. Organized crime has become an international scourge that threatens the stability of many countries around the world, thereby undermining international peace and security. The international community has always mobilized its efforts to ease the suffering of affected countries by deploying peacekeeping missions. Through the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the United Nations has articulated its efforts to assist the Democratic Republic of the Congo in better combating organized crime and the militant actions of armed groups. MONUSCO police have developed strategies to prevent and combat organized crime in order to provide support to the Congolese national police and local populations in that process. The role of national law enforcement institutions is paramount in preventing and combating armed groups and organized criminal groups. We must therefore seek out relevant national and subregional political will and ensure that it is supported by a very strong regional intelligence network and an international commitment to combating organized crime. Given that criminal networks operate in complex ways and are connected by cross-border links, an obligation to bring perpetrators to justice would clearly strengthen the authority of States to advance unity with regard to achieving social progress. Given that good governance is a collective responsibility, the rule of law remains a prerequisite for the development of fragile States. In order to overcome their instability, most countries affected by organized crime have developed a strong tendency to respond to it with military action when it would be more appropriate for them to strengthen their judicial systems by integrating into their law enforcement structures a more transparent and rigorous criminal justice system. If we are to combat organized crime effectively and holistically, we must place political action at the forefront of our efforts. The ultimate solution lies not in a military-based approach, which has been quick to reveal its limitations, but rather in promoting sustainable political solutions, combating bad governance and guaranteeing an operational and accessible criminal justice system — notwithstanding the need to increase transparency in the management of public affairs. I remain strongly convinced that, if we strengthen the operational capacities of the Congolese national police and put forth a substantial plan to reform the judicial and penal systems in that country, we will ensure good governance in a context that is conducive to effectively combating organized crime. In that connection, I also welcome the fact that the Security Council has consistently kept the issue of restoring State authority through the strengthening of criminal justice systems among the priority objectives of its various mandates. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Council for its efforts in promoting and consolidating peace in fragile countries.

I thank Mr. Abdounasir for her briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Gahonzire. Ms. Gahonzire: I thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to brief the Security Council. The 2011 Agreement between the Government of the Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement on Temporary Arrangements for the Administration and Security of the Abyei Area provided for temporary administrative arrangements for Abyei and the consequent deployment of an interim security force in Abyei. Both parties requested the African Union and United Nations to support that agreement and its implementation. Resolution 1990 (2011) then established the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The United Nations police (UNPOL) component was mandated to strengthen the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, including by training the personnel of the Abyei Police Service and coordinating with it on law and order. Since the signing of the Agreement, both parties have had difficulties implementing it because South Sudan does not agree to the establishment of a joint administration or joint security forces in Abyei and claims that the Agreement expired after the initial six-month period. The Sudan only supports the establishment of a joint administration in Abyei and the establishment of the Abyei Police Service. Little progress has been made in implementing outstanding commitments agreed upon by the parties in the 20 June 2011 Agreement, such as the establishment of the Abyei Police Service, the additional deployment of UNPOL officers in UNISFA and the issuance of visas to UNISFA personnel. The delay in the establishment of Abyei Police Service and other institutions has created a grave law-and-order vacuum. Due to this situation, an informal structure known as “community protection committees” has been created through concerted efforts between UNPOL and Ngok Dinka traditional leaders. Resolution 2205 (2015) therefore requested UNISFA, within its existing capabilities and resources and in close coordination with the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities, to strengthen the capacities of community protection committees to assist with law and order management in the Abyei Area. UNISFA police therefore work closely with and supports the community protection committees by providing basic policing training and co-locating, mentoring, monitoring and advising them in the performance of their duties. It became necessary to enhance the operational and administrative capacity of community protection committees. A total of 30 such committees have been established in the central and southern parts of the Abyei Area, which are mainly Ngok Dinka-populated areas. In addition, one joint protection committee has been established at the Amiet common market, and three attached detention facilities have been set up in Abyei, in the Amiet market and in Agok. However, there are no community protection committees structures in the north of Abyei, due to reservations that have been expressed by the Government of the Sudan. Sustaining peace constitutes a goal and a part of the process towards building a common vision of society with national ownership, where local actors have a consistent voice and women and youth play a critical role. In the context of Abyei, the role of UNPOL is to support the community protection committees, enhance and foster a positive protective environment across Abyei and conduct awareness campaigns and sensitize communities on the effects of crime and on crime prevention, especially sexual and gender- based violence and serious and violent crimes. The community protection committees and joint protection committees also serve as sources of information on all crime-related incidents and investigations. Female community protection committee members are playing a crucial role in sustaining peace and security in Abyei, especially through their involvement and support in addressing all forms of sexual and gender-based violence incidents and related cases. Further enhancement to the community protection committees support has increased. Recruitment of community protection committee members increased from 330 recruits in 2018 to 600 recruits to date in 2019, including 89 females. UNPOL undertook the initiative to organize women into associations for both the north and south. Women from both areas met in October, and it was remarkable. The protection of civilians is the primary responsibility of UNISFA. And the community protection committees, supported by UNPOL, have played a pivotal role in implementing the protection-of- civilians strategy. The current mandate allows for the increment of UNPOL to 148 personnel, which also allows for their deployment to additional team sites  — 10 in the area of responsibility, including 30 community protection committees in crime hotspots. According to performance assessments done in May, the joint protection committee at the Amiet common market has achieved excellent results in maintaining law and order in the market and surrounding areas. Good practices include a road safety strategy where community protection committee checkpoints along the road between Agok and Amiet have helped in reducing traffic-related incidents. The joint protection committee is also responsible for the management of the detention centre at the Amiet common market, including case management and referral of suspects and cases to traditional courts. Executing their duties under the mentorship and advice of UNPOL, the community protection committees and joint protection committee act in compliance with international standards and human rights. The community protection committees handle other basic law enforcement duties, for example, during an incident in Abyei, they restrained demonstrators organized against UNISFA by Ngok Dinka on 30 October. Another incident occurred when the community protection committees protected local communities during a youth football tournament organized by the UNISFA police in April. Notwithstanding their generally good performance, some community protection committee members resigned due to better job opportunities. It would be more beneficial to UNISFA and the communities if the mission and related partners could support its sustainability. Implementing the community protection committee doctrine and concept in both areas would be a major achievement as efforts to seek final status continue. In conclusion, parties should be urged to abandon their current positions and work together for the good of the Abyei community. The operational capacity of community protection committees should be improved by providing them with more operational and logistical support and improving their infrastructure to enhance the execution of law-and-order duties, in line with international policing and human rights standards. It must be noted that the developed community protection committee infrastructure may be used by the Abyei Police Service once it is established. United Nations country teams working in Abyei would also indirectly support both UNISFA and the people of Abyei.

I thank Ms. Gahonzire for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Yacouba. Mr. Yacouba: I thank you, Mr. President, for the honour and opportunity to speak to the Security Council about improving protection by building governance in ungoverned spaces. A combination of factors, coupled with the slow implementation of the peace agreement and with the 2012 crisis, have significantly reduced the capacity of the State in the northern and later central regions where it is struggling to carry out its functions. That has eroded public confidence in the State and its services, thereby creating a conducive environment for extremist and terrorist groups, who provide the social needs of the populations in their areas of influence, with multiple asymmetric attacks against Malian defence and security forces, international forces and civilians who refuse to accept their cause. Despite the gradual operationalization of the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel, the announcement of efforts by the Malian security forces and the extension of the State of emergency, some communities have fallen under the sway of violent extremist groups and resorted to self-defence groups, which further complicates the situation by exacerbating inter-community conflicts and their impact on civilians. (spoke in French) Police of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), acting in accordance with the integrated strategic framework, are committed to the priorities of the Mission as defined in resolution 2480 (2019) and are contributing to the administration of governance in a way that enhances protection in ungoverned areas in Mali. Capacity-building and developing the Malian security forces is therefore a major part of our work, as reflected in training activities and advice in various areas, in addition to efforts by other actors, including the European Union Capacity-Building Mission in the Sahel. We have also been developing infrastructure and equipment in order to accelerate the restauration and expansion of State authority throughout Mali. In the area of civilian protection, MINUSMA police provide crucial support to the operationalization of the strategy for the centre of the country, to the functionality of the operations and intelligence analysis centre, as well as to the centre for coordination and risk management in analysing information. Those coordinating mechanisms allow for an improvement in operational capacity through monitoring and an early- warning system. Moreover, in the centre, MINUSMA police support the implementation of Government-initiated strategies, including the Integrated Security Plan for the Central Regions and a Malian comprehensive strategy to protect civilians, reduce inter-community violence and restore the authority of the State and essential social services. That support has made it possible to redeploy defence and security forces, albeit hesitant, and to organize coordinated and joint operations, operational logistical support and transport. In the fight against impunity, which is one of the root causes of the crisis, MINUSMA provides crucial support in strengthening the criminal justice system through capacity-building, development, advisory support and the use of technical and scientific data. Regarding the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan for the redeployment of reformed and reconstituted defence and security forces, MINUSMA strongly advocates for the acceleration of the security sector reform process and through consultation and will contribute to the development of internal security and civilian protection strategies. Overall, the issue of governing in ungoverned zones is a daily reminder that strengthening trust among the population and authorities is a requirement that is often forgotten. In that regard, MINUSMA supports Government initiatives in engaging with communities and civil society on the security issues affecting them. Indeed, in a country as geographically and culturally diverse as Mali, great importance must be attached to the concept of community policing, a major focus of security sector reform. The aim is to establish strategic partnerships based on prior consultation and community involvement. (spoke in English) There are many challenges to these efforts, including the slow pace of the security sector reform process and ensuring an integrated and coordinated approach to security issues, border management and continued funding for the capacity-building of the Malian defence and security forces. Nevertheless, I am convinced that, in the long term, our integrated efforts will contribute to strengthening protection and restoring State authority through the development of the resilience of communities at the grass-roots level and the improvement of trust between the population and State authorities, especially the security forces.

I thank Mr. Yacouba for his briefing. I now give the floor to the members of the Security Council. Should members have a question, I ask that they indicate whether it is directed specifically to any one of today’s briefers or whether it is a general question.

Côte d’Ivoire welcomes the convening of this annual informative meeting in the framework of an interactive and informative dialogue with Mr. Jean- Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, and the respective Police Commissioners of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei. My delegation thanks Ms. Marie-Joseph Fitah-Kona, Adviser to the Mayor of the Third Arrondissement of Bangui, for her contribution. Their enlightening briefings have informed the Council of the progress made and allow it to remain seized of the opportunities and challenges facing the respective police units of those United Nations missions in the implementation of their mandates. This is an appropriate moment for my country — a former host country of a peacekeeping mission  — to commend once again the actions of the men and women of the police components deployed in United Nations missions and to pay them another deserved tribute for their remarkable contribution to the restoration of peace and stability in countries in crisis. Peacekeeping operations are intended not to replace host State authorities but rather to support them within the framework of an exit strategy that is based on an inclusive and credible political process. Indeed, wherever United Nations peacekeeping operations have been able to engage in dynamic cooperation with host State authorities and local communities on the basis of mutual trust and the pursuit of realistic and consensual objectives, they have created the conditions for a return to lasting peace and security, thereby paving the way for national reconstruction and prosperity. Good-quality relations between host countries and the population fosters their adherence to United Nations action, ensuring strong national ownership and the effective implementation of essential priorities, such as the protection of civilians, the restoration of State authority and security sector reform. In a deployment environment marked by the persistence of security threats and violence against civilians and sexual violence, the police components of United Nations peace missions constitute indispensable pillars. They contribute to strengthening the security of the population and restoring the capacities of local police institutions, enabling the host country’s Government to carry out its sovereign functions throughout its national territory. In the light of all that, and in recognizing the importance and complementarity of the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Police Peacekeeping, my country would like to stress that, based on its recent experience, greater emphasis should be placed on the application of guidelines regarding the strengthening and development of the capabilities of police components, as well as their role in the protection of civilians. At this point, I should like to seek the insight of the Police Commissioner Yacouba on the support provided by the MINUSMA police component for the capacity-building of the Malian police in collecting and harnessing information in order to improve its ability to protect civilians, particularly in central Mali. What is his assessment of the support provided by the United Nations police units in restoring the Malian State’s authority throughout its national territory, including the redeployment of police and judicial institutions? What is the connection between the role of the United Nations police and the self-defence groups on the ground? Women’s contribution to peace and security is today at the heart of the concerns of the international community. My country believes that women deployed in United Nations peace missions make a major contribution to the promotion of national reconciliation. However, it is clear that the goal of increasing their numbers is far from being achieved. We therefore call on the Council to work diligently with a view to strengthening the presence of women within these missions. In that regard, I would like to ask for Mr. Awale Abdounasir’s point of view on the support provided by the MONUSCO police component for the Congolese police force in the fight against sexual violence and the civilian-police activities to raise awareness of that violence. What is his assessment of the contribution of women to the MONUSCO police component in the fight against sexual violence and in peacebuilding? This is also an opportunity for my delegation to extend its warmest congratulations to Major Seynabou Diouf, who was this year named United Nations Female Police Officer of the Year for her role in combating sexual exploitation and abuse in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. United Nations missions are comprised of a mosaic of contingents and personnel who, while driven by a common quest to achieve peace and stability in countries in conflict, come from different countries and cultures, which necessarily influences their perception of their obligations in the context of peacekeeping in difficult settings. The great merit of the Police Commissioners who have just briefed us, as well as that of their colleagues in other United Nations missions, lies justifiably in their daily efforts to maintain the cohesion and unity of action of their forces so that, despite the many challenges they face, they can continue to be the most effective instrument of the United Nations in the service of peace. That is the core meaning of resolution 2447 (2018), of which Côte d’Ivoire contributed to the drafting and adoption, in close collaboration with the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Chinese delegation would like to thank Under-Secretary- General Lacroix and the three Police Commissioners for their briefings. We also listened attentively to the statement delivered by the civil society representative from the Central African Republic. In the 71 years since their first deployment, police peacekeepers have played an integral and active part in United Nations peace missions. Deeply committed to their missions around the world, police peacekeepers have made outstanding contributions to the maintenance of international peace and security. In total, 280 police officers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of United Nations peace missions, including eight Chinese police officers in Haiti. I pay my highest tribute to all of the fallen police officers and their families. In the context of the increasingly complex and challenging external environment and security situation, it is imperative to bolster and improve United Nations policing in peacekeeping missions. In 2018, Secretary-General Guterres put forward his Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, and to date 152 States Members of the United Nations have signed the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, giving new impetus to the reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations and paving the way for improved United Nations policing in peacekeeping missions. China supports the Secretary- General’s A4P initiative and stands ready to work with other Member States to advance peacekeeping policing and peacekeeping operations on the whole. China would like to make the following three proposals. First, with regard to upholding the basic principles of peacekeeping operations, policing in peace missions must always be guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the basic principles of peacekeeping operations, including consent of the parties, impartiality and the non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. The Council must fully respect the sovereignty and aspirations of the host country, heed its views and those of police-contributing countries (PCCs), define clear and explicit mandates tailored to the situation on the ground and leverage the advantages of peacekeeping police officers in maintaining the social order in the host country and creating a secure environment for its development. Long-term investments must be increased in such areas as political dialogue and economic development to ensure lasting peace. China will facilitate the holding of the third United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit, thereby making our contribution to peacekeeping policing in a new era. In that regard, China is working closely with the Department of Peace Operations. Secondly, bolstering capacity-building and increasing efficiency in the discharge of duties and enhancing the capacity-building of PCCs is the utmost priority at the current stage. The international community must continue to lend strong support to ensure that peacekeepers receive adequate and targeted training and possess the necessary equipment and other resources. PCCs must strictly follow the selection criteria for personnel and equipment, strengthen management and continue to improve the efficiency, credibility and effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping policing. China is actively delivering on the commitments made by President Xi Jinping at the 2015 Leaders Summit on United Nations Peacekeeping by establishing the world’s first-ever standby police contingent for peacekeeping and training over 800 police officers from other countries. Thirdly, better safety and security guarantees for peacekeepers must be provided. Human life is priceless. Peacekeeping police officers work at the forefront and their safety and security have a bearing on the effect and credibility of peacekeeping operations. The Council must take stronger action on peacekeeping operations and the safety and security of peacekeepers and speak with one voice in that regard. The Secretariat and the missions must give high priority to preserving the safety and security of their personnel, provide strong support and guarantee and enhance the capabilities of peacekeeping operations in the face of complex situations. Preventive measures, as well as security and medical supplies, must be put in place with a view to improving early warning and response capabilities in dealing with emergencies. China supports the idea of properly increasing the ratio of women peacekeepers, but at the same time we wish to emphasize that while efforts are made in that regard, it is important to take targeted protection measures, including careful predeployment security- risk assessments, to ensure the safety and security of women police peacekeepers. Since 2000, in nine mission areas in Timor- Leste, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Liberia, Haiti, the Sudan, South Sudan and Cyprus, China has dispatched a total of over 2,600 peacekeepers as part of our efforts to deliver on our commitments to peacekeeping. As always, China will continue to support United Nations peacekeeping efforts and explore further opportunities to support peacekeeping policing through the China-United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund, take concrete action to deliver on China’s commitments and contribute more to peacekeeping policing.

I would like to begin by thanking the five briefers, who have presented their respective perspectives on the role of the police in peacekeeping operations. The Action for Peacekeeping initiative remains our road map for focusing our efforts in the coming years. Allow me to follow the five “Ps” in my statement and my questions to the briefers: prevention, performance, protection, partnerships and peacebuilding. First, an increased role is given to United Nations police expertise in the context of prevention. We are pleased that the Police Division is increasingly being called upon not only in special political missions but also in some cases outside missions. As highlighted by the Secretary-General in his report (S/2016/952), the police play an important role in early warning. The Police Division can provide the Security Council with valuable information by analysing the state of police and other law enforcement institutions in a particular country and recommending responses to emerging issues. Secondly, mission performance goes hand in hand with responsibility and accountability. In that context, we are pleased that, under the new management paradigm promoted by the Secretary-General, the chiefs of police components in operations are now part of the senior management teams and that they are accountable for the performance of their component. In that context, I would like to ask Mr. Lacroix to share with us the lessons learned since the beginning of the implementation of the comprehensive performance assessment system, in particular on the police components and their contribution to the strategic objectives of the missions. Thirdly, community policing and community policing initiatives, among others, offer unparalleled opportunities for the protection of civilians. That is the case, for example, in South Sudan, where the police component of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan is successful in some locations by working in unique proximity with the population, relying in particular on women components and unarmed patrols. In general, it would seem appropriate to provide increased support in the area of negotiated public space management, which includes aspects of dialogue, respect for human rights and a moderate and proportional use of constraint. Fourthly, partnerships are at the heart of police components in the field. They often work jointly and in good understanding with those who lead parts of security sector reform or conduct national police training activities. Synergies exist on the ground with civilian missions deployed by the European Union. My question is for Commissioner Abdounasir, who has had the opportunity to experience the partnership with the European Union in both Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Can he illustrate that partnership and its added value for the work of the United Nations? Lastly, with respect to peacebuilding, while police have a role to play across the peace continuum, support for the transfer of policing functions remains crucial in transitions. Haiti provides a recent example. It is important for that phase to continue to provide police advisory support when the host State considers it necessary. One of the future medium-term transition projects could be the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and we look forward to discussing the results of the strategic review. In that context, how does Commissioner Abdounasir see the role of MONUSCO’s police component evolving in the coming years? Does he see any areas or provinces in which a formed police unit presence could usefully replace a military presence?

We would like to start by again thanking Mr. Lacroix for his very pertinent and in-depth briefing, as always, in addition to conveying our thanks to the Police Commissioners who briefed us today, as well as to our briefer from Bangui. In line with the presidency’s instructions, we will try to be a bit more interactive in terms of engaging on this very important issue. We would like to start by recognizing the important role that the United Nations police plays in promoting stability and long-term development in conflict-affected countries. We also note its significance, which is amplified by changing conflict dynamics. In our view, there is therefore a growing role for United Nations policing, and we further recognize the success stories in many post- conflict countries. As a police-contributing country (PCC) ourself, we strive for increasing the role of women not only in peacekeeping but also in terms of police serving in peacekeeping missions and conflict countries. We have achieved a gender parity of 50 per cent, which exceeds the provisions of the current strategy that works towards greater gender parity in police and peacekeeping troops. We welcome the continued efforts of the United Nations to build its police capabilities, as well as the contribution that they can make to local law- enforcement capacity. We regard that as a very important element in terms of responding to local priorities and building local capacity. We also commend efforts undertaken by the Police Division to promote greater female representation, as mentioned earlier, which is an important element that we strive for. This is conducted through regional female senior police command development courses to improve senior leadership training overall. We would like to appeal to the Secretariat to work with PCCs to increase the number of female police officers. The continued presence of United Nations police on the ground gives them the responsibility to ensure effective transitions from peacekeeping to peacebuilding, which is an important bridging role that police play in terms of bringing normalcy to countries that are affected by conflict. I believe that the sight of police can bring a sense of normalcy back to the public and the population in terms of peace, justice and addressing criminality, which are sometimes overlooked in the bigger picture when it comes to peacekeeping and bringing stability to countries. We would like to acknowledge the critical role that the United Nations Police continues to play in ensuring stability and sustaining peace in local communities. It is important to ensure that the Police Division is better placed within the United Nations system to meet that growing demand. Finally, we would like to thank the Police Commissioners and the Police Division for the good work that they are doing in the field and to pose two questions to our commissioners. First, we would like to ask the Commissioner of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei a question that particularly relates to female officers in the field. Could she give us an indication, from her vantage point, as to the challenges that women police officers in peacekeeping missions face? And how can the Council assist in addressing those challenges? Secondly, we have a question for the two Police Commissioners from the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Building on the reforms of the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative, in their view, what more can the United Nations do to ensure that the United Nations Police is better equipped to carry out these duties? Their views on that would be very much appreciated.

We thank all of today’s briefers for their assessments. We would also like to ask the Heads of the peacekeeping missions’ police contingents to convey our thanks to all Blue Berets for their conscientious service and for carrying out the difficult task of maintaining peace and security. We pay tribute to their bravery. The importance of police peacekeepers in modern United Nations peacekeeping activities is beyond doubt. As one of the channels of peacekeeping efforts, police play a significant role in helping national authorities to protect civilians. They do this not only through traditional formats such as patrolling, surveillance and dealing those who violate public order, but also by building the capacity of national law-enforcement bodies in the countries where they are deployed and assisting with security-sector reform, thereby improving host countries’ ability to tackle the challenges they encounter. More and more often, United Nations Police have to provide assistance in solving problems related to the fight against organized crime, the illegal drug trade, human trafficking and other security threats. They also serve as a liaison both between populations and the peacekeeping presence and between populations and host country Governments. It is important to ensure that their efforts help to build citizens’ confidence in the institutions of power and create the preconditions for achieving national reconciliation and lasting peace. In providing that assistance, like all United Nations peacekeepers, police should adhere strictly to the Security Council’s mandates and comply with the Charter of the United Nations and the basic principles of peacekeeping. The key to effectively implementing these tasks is establishing constructive relations with the host country. This process must be guided by the principle of national responsibility, full respect for the sovereignty of host countries and consideration of their individual requirements. It is extremely important to take a country’s concrete national specifics into account. Attempts to apply a universal approach to reforms in the areas of law enforcement or the rule of law are unlikely to produce results or enjoy the support of populations, whatever their country. The effective fulfilment of police tasks requires appropriate logistical, technical and personnel support. Missions should improve their planning and management and avoid unnecessary costs and duplication of efforts. In the framework of these processes, is important to ensure that the Secretariat pays close attention to the opinions and recommendations of police-contributing countries. Attempts to promote different types of third- party initiatives or concepts that do not have the support of all States members of the General Assembly’s Special Committee for Peacekeeping Operations are counterproductive. In that regard, we believe it is essential to maintain a constant dialogue between the Security Council, police-contributing countries and host Governments on every aspect of peacekeeping activities, including at the planning and mandate development stages. However, we do not believe it makes sense to allocate functions to the police that are not inherently theirs, such as those related to political or human rights issues, which could distract them from the tasks they specialize in and make their activities less effective generally. We believe firmly in the importance of strengthening cooperation with regional organizations, including for United Nations policing. We believe it is important to broaden support for United Nations activities aimed at building the capacities of police peacekeepers among regional actors, including the African Union, and assisting them in maintaining regional peace and stability. As a police-contributing country, the Russian Federation has continued to increase its contribution to United Nations peacekeeping efforts by sending staff with the relevant skills to missions. Since 1992, more than 500 employees of Russia’s internal affairs bodies have worked as police peacekeepers, and it is gratifying that United Nations representatives have frequently remarked on their high level of professionalism. We continue to comply strictly with our commitments undertaken at the United Nations Chiefs of Police summits, in accordance with which Russia has doubled the numbers of the police peacekeepers it contributes. Russian police are currently deployed in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Kosovo and Cyprus. Almost 30 per cent of them are women. The number of women involved in police activity in Russia itself is also steadily increasing. The United Nations-certified Peacekeeping Training Centre of Russia’s Ministry of the Interior regularly graduates police peacekeepers, including foreigners, many of whom are women, to professional standards. It is pertinent to point out that more than 30 of the specialists among them are French speakers. Since 2000, the Centre has trained more than 1,600 Russian officers and 500 foreign police peacekeepers, including commanders, from more than 50 countries around the world. The group of women officers specially trained to participate in the police components of United Nations missions deserve particular attention. Approximately 40 women from Russia and a number of African countries have taken the course. We are also willing to send experts to participate in the work of specialized police groups in United Nations missions. We are interested in considering the participation of Russian police in such groups’ projects, including working jointly with other countries.

I too would like to begin by paying tribute to the men and women police officers and commanders working today in United Nations peacekeeping missions in what are sometimes very difficult security situations. Listening to Mr. Lacroix and the testimonies of our briefers today, we see clearly that it is particularly important to ensure that populations really feel the benefits of our peacekeeping operations, especially when it comes to improving their daily lives. We clearly see that police forces have a key role to play in that regard. The account provided by Ms. Marie-Joseph Fitah-Kona, Adviser to the Mayor of the Third Arrondissement of Bangui, whom I warmly thank for her participation today, is illustrative of that. France intends to be a willing and constructive partner in that area, and that is why we fully support the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, including the commitment, in that framework, to make the United Nations police more efficient and effective and better able to respond to the needs of the people. To that end, it is necessary that the United Nations police dispose of the appropriate capacities in terms of planning, force generation, crisis management and guidance. In that regard, I will focus on three priority issues for us. First, the police and gendarmerie personnel provided by contributing countries must offer genuine added value in terms of technical competence and operational capacity. The United Nations also needs their expertise within command structures. Accordingly, France is deploying a team of police officers specialized in explosives and forensic science to work within the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. We also provide experts in the areas of formed police units and planning within the Secretariat. Secondly, we believe that the role of police units must be reappraised. While the Blue Helmet military contingents represent the bulk of uniformed personnel in any peacekeeping operation, police officers have a specific and indispensable role. Their presence sends a different message, which is that of a gradual return to normalcy linked to a reduced threat level and positive developments in the security situation. In that regard, local populations are generally well able to see that. The extremely special role of police units takes on special meaning during the transition phases. Indeed, as the number of Blue Helmets gradually decreases, the host State strengthens its sovereignty and the armed forces gradually take over, United Nations police units demonstrate that United Nations investment is not limited to the deployment of units, but that concern for local populations remains at the heart of the Security Council’s priorities. The Democratic Republic of the Congo comes to mind. In some provinces, as the Permanent Representative of Belgium underlined, police units can take over from peacekeeping units. The last point that I want to emphasize is that increasing the female presence among contingents and police personnel is essential. We must continue to make progress in that area in accordance with the ambitious but obtainable, goals set by the Secretary- General. As several United Nations police missions have pointed out, there is a positive correlation between the participation of women in police forces and the stability and sustainability of peace processes. We have seen that in Liberia, where the inclusion of women in police forces helped to reduce sexual and gender- based violence during the day and especially at night. We regret that, despite those positive statistics, the inclusion of women in police forces remains glaringly insufficient, while we nevertheless welcome the efforts of the Department of Peace Operations to increase the number of women deployed. I should like to conclude by asking several questions. My first question is general and addressed to each one of the briefers. What, broadly speaking, are the principle difficulties in carrying out their missions? My second question is addressed to all briefers and concerns the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in particular. How do they assess the capacities available to respond to the needs of victims of sexual and gender- based violence? Lastly, I have a question for Mr. Abdounasir, Police Commissioner of MONUSCO. His reference to MONUSCO’s efforts to counter organized crime by prioritizing the strengthening of the penal system was very useful. I would be equally interested to know what other information he might be able to share with us with regard to the activities that the police component of MONUSCO is carrying out in helping deal with the Ebola crisis.

We thank Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Police Commissioners from various peace missions and Ms. Marie-Joseph Fitah-Kona as the representative of a host country. The police component is an integral part of the peace and security architecture, and we must therefore enhance its role in that regard. We recognize the major role that police units play on the ground in bridging the tasks related to United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding, which demonstrates the need for coordination between police and military components, together with humanitarian and civilian components. We also stress the importance of developing close cooperation with national authorities, communities and civil society in order to reach all sectors of society in promoting the rule of law, which is why we believe it important to increase the percentage of police officers in peacekeeping operations. We appreciate the United Nations efforts to ensure that police-contributing countries meet required standards, in the knowledge that deployment and training challenges remain. As has been highlighted in the latest reports of the Secretary-General on police activities, training and adequately equipping police personnel prior to deployment and the selection of qualified police units are crucial. By “training”, we also mean a people-centred approach to justice, the rule of law and due process, as well as human rights, child protection, conflict-related sexual violence and gender- based violence, without forgetting the importance of communicating with communities in their own language. Police-contributing countries must redouble their efforts in shouldering their responsibility in that regard. I should like to ask Mr. Lacroix where he believes major gaps exist in the predeployment training required for police personnel and what impact such shortcomings might have on the ground? Peace operations must be inclusive and responsive, and therefore the oversight of gender issues must be ensured in the design, planning, implementation and evaluation of peace operations. We appreciate the fact that the number of female chiefs of police components has increased. However, women remain underrepresented in positions at the senior level. Increasing their presence in police forces opens channels of communication for women and girls on the ground, while addressing their protection concerns and immediate needs. We therefore take this opportunity to congratulate Major Seynabou Diouf — an officer in the Senegalese National Police who is deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, leading a force to counter sexual abuse and exploitation  — on having recently received the United Nations Female Police Officer of the Year Award. We would also like to ask Mr. Lacroix to tell us about initiatives of the United Nations Police Division to increase the number of female police officers and to integrate a gender perspective into the operations of the police component? Lastly, we express our commitment to and support for the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative and its shared commitments. We believe that the achievements of United Nations policing are intrinsically connected to the realization of the ideal of sustaining peace. However, all the goals that we have set and committed ourselves to cannot be achieved without a genuine understanding of the root causes of conflicts, supported by prevention and early-warning efforts. We would like to conclude by thanking United Nations police personnel for their dedication, where they risk their lives daily to protect the most vulnerable and in the pursuit of lasting and sustainable peacebuilding.

I thank Under-Secretary-General Lacroix and the Police Commissioners for their briefings. We talk quite a lot about peacekeeping in the Council, although our conversations tend to focus on the contributions of military personnel. We are grateful for the courageous Blue Helmet troops, but I am glad that today we have an opportunity to recognize the important contributions of the police to strengthening the rule of law, which is ultimately the basis for a peaceful society. We must honour those whose work builds the foundations of that peace. I would like to congratulate Major Seynabou Diouf of Senegal on receiving the prestigious 2019 United Nations Female Police Officer of the Year award yesterday. We commend her outstanding work as an officer and her dedication to her duties as a leader of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Additionally, we were pleased to meet with the Police Commissioner of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan during our recent trip as the Council to South Sudan. We strongly support the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028, and we urge police-contributing countries to embrace policies that increase women’s participation. I would also like to praise the police officers who served in the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti and paved the way for the Mission to transition to a special political mission. They trained and professionalized the Haitian National Police, which is now a bright spot in Haiti’s development, taking on even more responsibility for peace and security in its own country. Our understanding of the importance of the rule of law is why we provide extensive capacity-building training to empower police-contributing countries. The training helps them to deploy well-trained police to United Nations missions. Since 2010, the United States International Police Peacekeeping Operations Support programme has trained more than 12,000 police peacekeepers from more than 12 countries. We have also worked with the United Nations to develop new training courses and strengthen performance standards, including a long-standing partnership with Italy’s Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units to train police trainers and leaders. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we will explore similar opportunities to improve the role that United Nations police play in support of the protection of civilian and security reform efforts of MONUSCO. In Abyei and along the border between the Sudan and South Sudan, we remain concerned about the stability of the rule of law. We encourage the Sudan to immediately grant visas for United Nations police as a first step to establishing a joint police force in Abyei. To maintain peace and a global security environment that is becoming more complex, it is important for police forces to deploy with the right equipment. In Mali, we are concerned that, as the last quarterly report on the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (S/2019/782) indicated, two formed police units lack mine-protective vehicles. Those units play a crucial role in building local law- enforcement capability. Without the right equipment, their safety is threatened and their effectiveness is limited. One year after the unanimous adoption of resolution 2436 (2018), we reiterate our support for the United Nations commitment to implementing an integrated performance policy, which should be based on clear standards for all United Nations civilian and uniformed personnel working in and supporting peacekeeping operations. We count on Police Commissioners to ensure that police deployed in the field have the proper training and equipment to carry out their mandated tasks. We fully support initiatives to brief the Security Council on peacekeeping performance, and we look forward to hearing candid assessments about performance, including shortfalls, success stories and how Member States can assist. We also appreciate the Secretary-General’s July assessment report on the Police Division (A/74/223). We appreciate the commitment to ensuring the effective performance and accountability of police personnel in the field as one of the Division’s core functions. We commend the Division’s launch of an online tool for the assessment and evaluation of formed police units, which saw 34 evaluations of 49 deployed units and developed 11 performance improvement plans to address identified shortfalls. Finally, we want to take advantage of the fact that the Police Commissioners are with us today. We would like to hear more about the challenges they face with respect to equipment. I will end with three specific questions, some of which have already been asked. First, how is performance data used to decide the rotation and deployment of police-contributing countries? Secondly, I join my colleagues in asking how we can ensure greater numbers of women in police rotations and deployments. And, thirdly, what should be the priorities for developing and implementing the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Police Peacekeeping?

Just as we ask United Nations Secretariat colleagues and those in the field to constantly innovate, our presidency is innovating with regard to interaction. I will now turn to our briefers to respond to the questions put so far, of which I have counted approximately 15. I hope that will prompt those who have not yet spoken to pick up on those responses or related issues. I ask the briefers to be brief in their responses so that the work on the Council can continue. I now give the floor to Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix to respond to the comments and questions raised. Mr. Lacroix: I believe there was a question on the performance assessment tool that we have rolled out from the representative of Belgium. (spoke in French) Regarding the performance assessment tools, there are two relevant categories. The first is the comprehensive performance assessment system, which covers all relevant aspects for evaluating mandate implementation. The assessment system is already being implemented in six missions. It will be rolled out in four more missions by next spring. It is a holistic evaluation. That is to say, based on various evaluation elements, it allows us to assess the way in which the mission is discharging its mandate. With respect to the police component, the tool allows us to evaluate the performance of the different units in terms of the entire mandate. In other words, it is a comprehensive tool that illustrates the outcomes of each of the mission components in the overall implementation of the mandate. That is the first thing. Despite the fact that this tool has been deployed within missions relatively recently, it allows each of the mission’s stakeholders to have a more overall picture of the criteria that allow us to evaluate whether the mission is fulfilling its mandate and to what extent and to develop a common vision of the main goals and the main assessment criteria. We now have a second tool that has been developed and implemented for police units more specifically. That also exists for military units. It is a specific tool for evaluating police units. It allows us to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each unit and, following that assessment, to have a dialogue with the troop- and police-contributing countries to overcome any shortcomings or possible weaknesses. Following the implementation of those tools, I think that first we are now able to have a very clear picture of the situation regarding the different units and to increase the efforts of troop- and police-contributing countries in terms of training, both of the leadership of the units and of their personnel. We have also seen an improvement in our equipment levels, although more progress is needed in that regard. We must also improve our ability to protect our personnel and further raise awareness of personnel behaviour and discipline, which has led to a reduction in allegations made against police and in the number of victims of hostile actions. There is still work to be done in several important areas: review of standard operating procedures, review of specific policies and guidelines on bolstering the security and safety of units. More generally, we are in the process of organizing a workshop next month in Entebbe in order to take stock of our efforts with regard to the effectiveness of our police units. (spoke in English) There was a question about our efforts with regard to women. I think that there is now greater awareness among police-contributing countries regarding the importance of providing us with more women peacekeepers. Most of our police-contributing countries are gradually increasing the number of women formed police units. We have a number of heads of police components who are women. There is already awareness of the issue. What is important now is to continue to encourage the police-contributing countries to maintain those efforts and to make sure that there is adequate training, not only for female police officers and senior leadership, but also to make people aware of the importance of having a female-friendly work environment and to include women in our police and military contingents. There was another question regarding the gender perspective. I think this has to do with training and analysis. We are making ongoing efforts to enhance gender-sensitive training, which I mentioned previously, and have gender advisers and other staff in our mission who are engaged in gender-sensitive conflict analysis. The representative of the United States asked a question about major shortcomings we still find in units we wish to deploy. I will mention a few. First of all, I think it is fair to say that we still have equipment deficits. There was a reference to the shortcomings of some units with regard to key protective equipment, including, in some cases, mine-protected vehicles. On that issue, the percentage of units with severe equipment deficits has decreased globally, but we still have to continue in that direction. As the Council knows, we are promoting all kinds of innovative ways of filling those gaps, including with the concept of equipment- contributing countries or any kind of partnership. I would also mention two important areas. I already mentioned the first area — the importance of continuing our efforts to increase the number of women in our units. The second deficit we are facing has to do with language. We are too often confronted with not enough formed police units and, particularly police officers, with adequate skills in the languages that are common in the areas where we have peacekeeping operations deployed. In that regard, I would mention French and Arabic. We do encourage our troop- and police-contributing countries, especially those where neither French nor Arabic is commonly spoken, to make a specific effort to train at least some of their officers in those languages. Of course, having additional skills in local languages is also very important. I think the question of language is generally important in our peace operations, but it is even more so when it comes to police, and we are strongly encouraging our police-contributing countries to continue their language efforts. Moreover, this area lends itself to partnerships.

I thank Mr. Lacroix for the clarifications he has provided. Mr. Lacroix talked a bit about the challenges facing women police, which was a question put to Ms. Mary Gahonzire. I ask her to share her thoughts on that and give her two or three minutes to do so. I now give the floor to Ms. Gahonzire. Ms. Gahonzire: I was asked about the challenges that female uniformed personnel are facing in peace missions. First of all, I would like to thank our leadership for the uniformed gender-parity strategy, which the Police Division is implementing. We have a road map and, hopefully, we can achieve our objectives by placing women with the right skills and qualifications in the right places. However, as I was asked, in the field, some of the specific difficulties are related to health, given the nature of women and the infrastructure, which, in most cases, does not favour women. As for the rest, I can say that there are stereotypes perpetuated by Member States, despite the fact that they are part of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. Other than that, efforts are ongoing and we are on course.

I thank Ms. Gahonzire for her clarifications. I am sure that action is being taken on this issue in all possible missions. A number of questions were asked of Mr. Abdounasir and I ask him to take about one minute to respond to each. I now give the floor to Mr. Abdounasir.

At the outset, I would like to thank the various members who welcomed the United Nations Female Police Officer of the Year award given to a colleague from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Women police officers provide added value. That can be seen not only in cases of sexual violence, but also when it comes to care for victims and following up on cases. I would also like to add that despite our best efforts, sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be a challenge. We are focusing on supporting local authorities, such as the Congolese National Police and the judicial system, in order to prosecute the responsible parties. I also note that we have very limited capabilities. The size of the United Nations police is less than 1 per cent of that of the Congolese National Police. That is why we are focusing on priority zones, so that we can have an impact. With regard to the question on criminal justice system, in general, we are working with the correctional justice system under the rule of law portfolio, alongside other partners like the European Union, in order to support the Congolese authorities in developing strategies and action plans, especially at the local and provincial levels. As for the Ebola virus raging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in areas where there are armed groups, the MONUSCO police has been working since the beginning of the outbreak. We are seeing a steady decline in the virus and the MONUSCO police continues to add value when it comes to following up with contacts. We are supporting the Congolese authorities in following up on high-risk contacts, which so far has allowed us to prevent displacement. There are some cases, but we can follow them precisely and, of course, bring them to treatment centres. Turning to the question from the representative of Belgium about the added value of the European Union, in my previous experience in Congo, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire there was close cooperation with the European Union. That allowed us to develop the training sector for the defence and security forces and in particular to develop a framework for leadership training. Whether it be in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali or Congo, the European Union has helped us to develop training centres and training courses. My last point concerns the possibility that police units could replace the military. As I understand it, the protection of civilians is a public security issue. We think that this is an issue that is more within the scope of the police in general and of MONUSCO police officers in particular. In provinces such as the Kasais, Tanganyika and a part of Ituri, the United Nations police have a role in boosting the various units and carrying out quality work, with, I am convinced, better results.

I thank Mr. Abdounasir for the clarifications he has provided. I shall now give the floor to Mr. Yacouba to respond to the questions raised.

I thank the representatives for their questions. The first question related to capacity-building of the Malian security forces. In my statement I said that we have multifaceted support. That is because there are huge needs. The training that we provide therefore depends on the needs and the kind of activities that the police, gendarmerie and national guard tasked with civilian protection have to carry out. We have undertaken a level of training but also construction projects to enable their deployment of equipment in the north and the centre. The training is now also very focused towards countering organized crime. We currently have specialized teams on the ground. There are three such teams at the moment. There is a specialized German team, a specialized French and German team and a third team that carries out all the technical and forensic training. Those are the areas in which we work. We also provide support in terms of advice. In many areas we work in partnership with EUCAP Sahel Mali because we have the same clients. At that level, there is support in the form of advice as well as operational support on the ground, such as, for example, when there were the massacres in Koulougon Peul, Ogossagou and Sobane Da and even an attack on the military camp. The only existing capacity, as was rightly said, in the technical and forensic areas is that of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), where we have helped to have a presence on the ground and to collect data and analyse that information. The analysis that we carry out is at two levels: first, for prosecution needs through our units that support countering cross-border organized crime but also for prevention needs. In that regard, the Ministry of Internal Security and Civil Protection established a centre to analyse and collect intelligence, whose staff we trained. We are also working with EUCAP Sahel and the French security adviser to help us to better respond in such situations because often we hear reports but we do not know what has not worked. People say that they have reported an incident but the forces arrive only the next day. That is why we also provide such support to our Malian partners. We were also asked about the contribution made by the formed police units. In that regard, I would like to take the example of the Mopti region, where, while awaiting the arrival of a second formed police unit, we cover all areas except, of course, those that are flooded. We have patrols there jointly with the Malian forces, particularly the gendarmerie. In that context, I would point out that an operation was undertaken in partnership with the Malian security force but there is also a region where MINUSMA operates. I think that we can say that there has been less crime in the areas held by MINUSMA. In review of what we have done, I would say that in terms of training and support to the Malian authorities, during the recent elections, which saw the fewest incidents and went smoothly, thanks to the work we did with EUCAP Sahel Mali to train security units, there was a security presence. That is the added value that we can bring. Another aspect that was raised was the interaction with armed groups. There are two levels to that question. First, there are armed groups that signed the agreement and there are organizations through which we work. For example, with regard to territorial policy, we had to explain to them what it is and its potential in the context of security sector reform. In sum, those are the concerns that we shared in that regard. There was a question regarding the non-involvement of police in the area of human rights and policing. It should be acknowledged that the police also have quite a key role there. Resolution 2382 (2019) recognizes that security sector reform is highly political. So police officers must be able to support elections because what they are supporting can have a political impact if there are incidents. Human rights are at the heart of policing and the protection of people. We must promote respect for human rights in all our activities, including addressing violence against women and minors. We must also adhere to the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy in the work that we do. Those are the issues where representatives requested some clarifications. Regarding the difficulties, I think that Mr. Lacroix has already provided appropriate responses. In terms of our needs, we need the necessary expertise. Given the central role of the police and its cross-cutting nature, the needs are tremendous. We have seen that we need to change the military approach. We have seen its limits everywhere, but the security approach also needs to change by encouraging community-based policing. That is to say, we cannot act from a distance. We need to address security at a local level. That means we must deploy within communities for the best possible outcomes. That also involves issues of inclusiveness to ensure that all sectors of society are represented. It is not a matter of having forces alongside the population but the quality of the deployment depends on people’s perception to ensure better cooperation and intelligence.

I thank Mr. Yacouba for the clarifications he has provided. I shall now give the floor to members of the Security Council for further questions.

At the outset, let me thank Under-Secretary-General Lacroix and, in particular, all our briefers from the field for their insightful briefings. We are very grateful and sincerely thank them for the invaluable contribution they are making to United Nations missions. The many thousands of police peacekeepers deserve our deepest gratitude and recognition, and we would be very happy for the briefers to convey that to all those who work with them. The briefings have once again underlined the multifaceted role that the police play in peace operations. Police are indispensable in stabilizing fragile States and building security structures. Germany is convinced that the need for United Nations police is growing. Germany remains a steadfast advocate of strengthening United Nations police. Germany currently deploys police personnel to various peace operations, including, as mentioned just a few minutes ago, to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), where we provide a specialist police team. We also gladly support United Nations police beyond contributing personnel — for instance, through financing the recent United Nations police commanders course in Berlin and the United Nations Standing Police Capacity in Brindisi. We are also very proud to chair the Group of Friends of United Nations Police here in New York City. We heard in all the briefings about the importance of United Nations police and how they play a tremendously crucial role in United Nations peacekeeping, which is almost a truism. However, if the Security Council were to ask whether we have exhausted the full potential of United Nations police, then the answer probably must be no. I think that we can do better and that we still have not tapped into the full potential of United Nations police across the board. Police have many unique advantages. United Nations police play a crucial role in all conflict phases, which I think is very important to underline. They play an important role in prevention, stabilization and post-conflict peacebuilding. Therefore, United Nations police need to be ready to advise Governments and the United Nations system in non-mission contexts as well. I think that is also a very important point. Let me offer a few ideas on where we could think about improving and strengthening United Nations police. First, strengthening United Nations police advisory capabilities and services is important with regard to prevention. United Nations police offer a first-class prevention tool that remains underutilized and should be used more systematically and strategically. Secondly, police commissioners play an important role that should be further strengthened. It is crucial that we integrate that into mandates as early and as comprehensively as possible. Thirdly, the level of police advice should be raised within the United Nations system. The Police Division must be adequately placed within the system. Police are not just an appendix; they are essential to sustaining peace, which must be duly reflected in United Nations structures. Significant steps in that direction have been taken, but we think that much more should and could be done. Fourthly, as many others have already said, the number of women police peacekeepers should be increased. It is particularly important for community policing and peacekeeping operations. Agenda- sensitive policing is crucial in order to address the different security needs of women and men, girls and boys. The current rate of 18 per cent is good, but not good enough. We can certainly all do better. We very much welcome the ambitious goals of the Secretary- General in that regard. Fifthly, police play an essential role during transition phases of peace operations. It is important that police advice be taken on board more strategically by the Council from the very outset. Before concluding, let me ask Mr. Yacouba, from MINUSMA, one question. We have already heard a couple of insights and recommendations, but I am particularly interested in the following issue. We have unfortunately seen a very steep increase in terrorist attacks in Mali in recent months. So far, I think the issue has been dealt with primarily by the military. I would be very interested in his views on whether he sees or recommends a stronger role for United Nations police in combating terrorism in Mali.

I wish to thank Under- Secretary-General Lacroix and all the briefers for their very comprehensive briefings. I would also like to pay tribute to all police peacekeepers for their remarkable work, service and dedication to advancing peace. Police peacekeeping has become an important element of United Nations peacekeeping operations. As the challenges for such operations have become more complex, their tasks have expanded to include protecting civilians, fighting transnational crime and building the capacity of local police. In that context, let me underline three pertinent points. First, to fulfil their mandate effectively, United Nations police peacekeepers must actively engage the local community. Community engagement is crucial to gaining the trust of the local population. Close engagement with local communities also helps to develop early-warning systems, better monitoring and police intelligence. Police peacekeepers therefore must invest in building relationships with the communities they serve. For that purpose, they must be equipped with communication skills and an understanding of local culture, in addition to basic policing skills. Those should be part of our comprehensive measures to continue improving the capacity of our peacekeeping operations personnel. It is in that framework that Indonesia initiated presidential statement S/PRST/2019/4, relating to training and capacity-building for peacekeeping operations, during our presidency of the Security Council in May. Secondly, the role of United Nations police in peacebuilding and sustaining peace needs to increase. Strengthening the rule of law through police reform is one of the key tasks of United Nations police in post- conflict situations. The highest consideration must be given to the needs, capacities and priorities of host States, as well as to ensuring national ownership. We also need to recall the broad and comprehensive scope of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, ranging from advancing political solutions and enhancing the political impact of peacekeeping to strengthening partnerships. All elements should be mutually reinforcing. Indonesia stands ready to share its experience and contribute to that important undertaking. Thirdly, we must redouble efforts to increase the participation of women in police peacekeeping. The presence of women police officers will improve the performance of United Nations police units, including in protecting civilians and responding to sexual violence. Indonesia is a strong supporter of greater representation of women in peacekeeping. More efforts certainly need to be made to increase their representation at all levels of United Nations police  — for instance, what we underlined a few days ago with Deputy Secretary- General Amina Mohammed (see S/PV.8657) concerning the need to pay special attention to the needs of women police in the field, including with regard to deployment kits, housing and home leave rules. Indonesia has been a longstanding contributor to United Nations police peacekeeping. Currently, there are 326 Indonesian police officers serving in six United Nations peacekeeping missions, including two formed police units in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic and individual police officers in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement. We stand ready to deploy police officers with special skills in areas such as investigation, serious and organized crime, sexual and gender-based violence and community- oriented policing. Allow me to ask the briefers some questions. To the three Police Commissioners, what are the most pressing challenges facing their respective missions in terms of policing mandates? What can the Council do to address those challenges? What has been done to improve community outreach? What are the challenges in that domain? To what extent do they hinder the achievement of mission mandates? Lastly, I would like to underline that every time we put our men and women in harm’s way as part of any United Nations mission, we tell them to always be proud to wear the Blue Beret or Blue Helmet with honour and dignity, for they are all serving humankind and saving lives. I salute all the Blue Berets and Helmets in the Chamber, as well as those who are serving on the ground.

I would like to thank today’s briefers for their contributions to our discussion. Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix provided us with a strategic outlook that reveals the broader perspective that the Security Council needs in its deliberations. The Police Commissioners’ follow-up briefings gave us a picture of the everyday challenges and achievements of police officers in the field. I would also like to thank the presidency for inviting Ms. Marie-Joseph Fitah-Kona, who shared with us the highly valuable perspective of a host nation, crucial to building partnerships, which from the perspective of United Nations Police is the key element to understanding current and emerging challenges and eventually delivering efficiently on the mandate of the missions of the United Nations. The importance of the United Nations Police in peacekeeping was highlighted in the 2016 external review of the functions, structure and capacity of the United Nations police mandated by resolution 2185 (2014), and recently reiterated in the Secretary-General’s report assessing the Police Division (S/2018/1183). It is also reflected in one of the themes of this year’s United Nations Police Week in its vision of the United Nations Police as the system-wide service provider. And while we may see that growing importance as an improvement in the system, it comes with a heavy load of tasks and responsibilities for the Police Division here at United Nations Headquarters. In that regard, my first question is for the leadership of the Police Division. Is the United Nations Police already well equipped in terms of numbers and quality to provide that service? And what are the three capabilities or tools that are most needed to take on that task? For my second point, I would like to touch on the responsibility to protect and the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and to ask whether the Police Commissioners can already see results for them on the ground. That said, and bearing in mind the commitments that were made by police-contributing countries a year ago, I would be interested to hear if the Police Commissioners have the necessary capabilities and skills at their disposal to carry out their missions’ mandates effectively. I am referring in particular to such crucial capabilities as language and communications skills, as well as the meaningful participation of female police officers in community policing. But I thank Under- Secretary-General Lacroix, who has already responded to my question. In conclusion, I want to emphasize the importance of the role of the police component in contributing to resolving crises and sustaining peace. Unfortunately, we do not have unlimited resources, and the mandated tasks of police, which can be instrumental, should therefore be a part of a systematic approach, which would help to more effectively utilize missions’ limited resources through a synergy effect.

I would first like to commend Mr. Jean- Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, for his comprehensive and excellent briefing to the Security Council, which has once again given us detailed information on the current evolution of peacekeeping operations through the reforms introduced by the Secretary-General, aimed at comprehensive improvement and structural innovation with regard to equipment and human capabilities, with a view to dealing with new challenges in an agile, effective and coherent manner. I would also like to express our appreciation for the commendable work of Ms. Marie-Joseph Fitah-Kona, Adviser to the Mayor of the Third Arrondissement of Bangui, Ms. Mary Gahonzire, Police Commissioner of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, Mr. Issoufou Yacouba, Police Commissioner of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, and Mr. Awale Abdounasir, Police Commissioner of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We also thank the presidency of the United Kingdom for including this important item on the agenda of its presidency. It is an opportunity for all of us to discuss and analyse the development and ongoing progress of peacekeeping operations in the wake of the Secretary-General’s reforms. As we well know, police in peacekeeping operations are one of the most effective tools that the United Nations has for ensuring, maintaining and building peace. To that end, it is clear that United Nations police peacekeepers must have the best possible training and equipment and the highest standards of personal conduct considering the level of their responsibilities. At the global level, my Government therefore commends the work of the police in peacekeeping missions in building and strengthening peace at every stage of a conflict, because we understand that the police embody and sustain people’s survival in conflicts by monitoring, applying, protecting and supporting the law, working as they do alongside the civilian population and facing the same challenges on the front lines in carrying out their job of ensuring citizens’ security. For that, police services must be effective, efficient, representative, receptive and responsible so that they can serve and protect populations. The Action for Peacekeeping initiative strengthens peacekeeping by mobilizing collective action by peacekeeping actors, including all States Members of the United Nations, the Security Council, the General Assembly, financial contributors, troop- and police-contributing countries, host countries, intergovernmental, regional and subregional organizations, civil society and the Secretary-General of the United Nations. In that context, Equatorial Guinea appreciates all the reforms and actions that have been undertaken by the Secretary-General, as well as the improvements that have been made in the balance of the capacities of peacekeeping operations. That represents a successful transformation with considerable progress in terms of political solutions to conflicts and in improving the political impact of peacekeeping. In the spirit of this meeting, we have some questions. Some of them have already been brought up by a number of other speakers, so I will ask those that no one has posed yet. First, generally speaking, what are the obstacles to women’s full integration into peacekeeping operations? Have there been any assessments made of the obstacles that they face in different geographical areas? Secondly, what is the impact of peacekeeping operations on the ground in the wake of the new changes made through the Action for Peacekeeping initiative? In conclusion, Equatorial Guinea remains firmly committed to continuing its support for all peace initiatives, from prevention to peacekeeping and peacebuilding at every level. We also pay tribute to the brave men and women who fight every day in peacekeeping missions in order to ensure international peace and security, while also securing and saving the lives of others.

We thank Under Secretary-General Lacroix, Ms. Fitah-Kona and the Police Commissioners from the peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Abyei and Mali. I would like to address three issues during our discussion today — the pivotal work of the United Nations Police, their anticipated role and the importance of women’s participation in peace operations. With regard to the work of the United Nations Police, the presence of the Commissioners in the Council with us today during the annual holding of United Nations Police Week is a testament to the continuing confidence of the Security Council in the growing importance of policing in peace operations, whether by effecting smooth transitions for countries emerging from conflict or in capacity-building and reforming the security sector, including correctional institutions. Such multidimensional operations have been created to respond to conflicts that themselves have multiple dimensions with similarly multiple effects on society, which necessitates the diversification of peacekeeping instruments to suit individual countries. That was the reason for the Security Council’s adoption of resolution 2382 (2017), which acknowledges the importance of including policing as an element when considering the establishment of peacekeeping operations. Turning to the anticipated role of the United Nations Police, peacekeeping is evolving as the nature of conflicts evolves, and the needs and expectations of policing also change in line with the three principles of peacekeeping. That is why it is worth considering the issue of not leaving the deployment of United Nations police to the end of peacekeeping operations. We should be guided by resolution 2382 (2017) in ensuring police work, based on each individual situation, when we consider establishing peace operations. It should be emphasized that we very much appreciate the role of troop- and police-contributing countries and their efforts to rehabilitate peacekeepers and sustain their training. We also emphasize the principles of discipline and accountability at all levels. With regard to the importance of women’s contribution to peace operations, women play a vital role at all stages of a conflict. Women in United Nations Police can also make a particularly significant contribution in the work of communicating with local communities and victims of violence or abuse, as well as by providing the kind of sympathy and protection that only women’s participation in peacekeeping operations can ensure, and we must therefore maintain and strengthen that participation. In that regard, we would like to congratulate Senegal and Major Diouf on her award as female police officer of the year, which in itself testifies to the effectiveness of women police. In conclusion, many important questions were raised by my colleagues and we listened to the briefers’ responses. I would like to emphasize what my colleagues have said regarding the role that the Security Council should play in ensuring that the United Nations Police can fully carry out their responsibilities.

We too would like to express our thanks for the convening of this meeting and for the important briefings by Under-Secretary-General Lacroix, the respective Heads of the police components of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), and the Municipal Adviser from Bangui. First and foremost, we want to recognize the relevant functions that police personnel play in United Nations peace operations and their capacity to act in the maintenance, consolidation and upholding of peace in the countries where they are deployed. In that vein, the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Police Peacekeeping of the United Nations Police (UNPOL) constitutes a central tool for generating common action guidelines that can be replicated in management, recruitment and training processes and in performance evaluation mechanisms. In that regard, we want to emphasize the fundamental role of the work of promoting, protecting and respecting international humanitarian law and international human rights law, a principle that is incorporated into each of the aspects of UNPOL’s work. That is particularly evident in the strengthening of national institutions and capacities aimed at restoring and maintaining security and public order and at ensuring access to justice and accountability for crimes. In the case of MINUSMA, the protection of civilians and the most vulnerable is an essential function that also helps to reduce intercommunal violence and restore the presence of the State throughout the country. Police Commissioner Yacouba referred to some strategies for contributing to expanding the numbers and presence of police in various areas across the country. I would like to ask him what the main difficulties are in achieving that objective. We also underscore the importance of fostering capacities for improving involvement and interaction with civil society and its respect, with a view to building greater trust among the population. That is central to helping create conditions that support ongoing political processes, such as for example the efforts to explain national agreements to the local population in the Central African Republic, an imperative in the current context, with a view to reducing the persistent violence across the country and at the same time promoting the involvement of local authorities. In that regard, I would like to ask Ms. Fitah-Kona what her experience was of the police personnel deployed in Bangui in their efforts to generate a close relationship with the local population in order to come up more efficient plans for prevention, early warning and police intelligence. How could those links be strengthened in order to attain those objectives? Also, as some other delegations have pointed out, the contribution of women to these processes has moved from being merely a useful recommendation to a paradigm of efficient and necessary implementation, particularly in ensuring rapprochement with local communities and civil-society organizations, both of women and young people. We appreciate the information shared by the Police Commissioner of UNISFA, Ms. Gahonzire, on the coordination with joint security committees to address the presence of armed groups. We would like to ask her about the role played by female police in that context, particularly in promoting dialogue and rapprochement with local communities. Another central element of UNPOL’s role is providing support in combating organized crime, which erodes the institutionality required to sustain peace and often has a transnational scope and in many cases fosters corruption and forms a nexus with terrorism. Given all that we have heard, we would like to ask Mr. Abdounasir, the Police Commissioner of MONUSCO, how he has been coordinating at the regional and subregional levels with a view to generating effective synergies to tackle that scourge, which also entails disrupting the dynamics of logistical support. We would like to conclude by reiterating our tribute to the thousands of police personnel who carry out complex and important work for peace and security in various missions mandated by the Council in conflict- affected countries, particularly those who have sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United Kingdom. Policing is vital, and as we further consider and develop our understanding of peacebuilding, it is now more important than ever, given that police are often more effective in that context than the traditional reliance on troops. Mr. Lacroix talked about the State liaison functions of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur in his introductory remarks on the Sudan. In that context, I think that as we look at the transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding in the Sudan, a policing component will be vital in the follow-on mission. It would be good to hear any comments he may have on that point. If United Nations policing is to remain effective, then whether we are members of the Council, police-contributing countries or police commanders, we need to listen to the experiences of police officers on the ground and consider how reform can make a practical difference. Our German colleague talked about United Nations policing not yet being at its full potential, and I agree with that. As the United Kingdom, we are of course strong supporters of resolutions 2185 (2014) and 2382 (2017) and of the 2016 external review of the functions, structure and capacity of the United Nations Police Division, although more should be done regarding the outstanding recommendations of that review. We believe that the recent report on policing by the Secretary-General (S/2016/952) provides an opportunity to take stock of the various strands of reform and set out a clear plan for the future. There are two areas that I want to briefly highlight. First, the United Kingdom wants to see the full integration of policing advice into mission planning processes to ensure that policing expertise is included in decision-making throughout the life of a mission. That means, in simple terms, that police experts should be at the table and should be listened to. That needs to be underpinned by a strong analytical capability. Secondly, we want to see United Nations missions continue to support the development of law enforcement in host States — we heard from some of our commanders today about that  — and to do that based on an assessment of host State needs and capacity. We believe that to maximize impact, the police need to have the right specialists with the right disciplines in the right places. We therefore encourage the Police Division to improve efficiency in recruitment and subsequent deployment. Recruitment can be slow and bureaucratic. It should be based on skills, capabilities and expertise. It should be transparent, fair and open, and it should differentiate between formed police units and individual police officers or specialized teams. Of course, police deploying into missions should be trained to the highest standards. We therefore want to see the Strategic Guidance Framework setting out the doctrine for policing finalized as soon as possible, including all guidance manuals. I would like to conclude by noting that I was struck by what Police Commander Yacouba of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali had to say about the relationship with the population and the importance of human rights and trust. To succeed in their mission, officers clearly need to be able to police locally in order to understand communities. A police officer by definition is an officer of the place where he or she serves. I believe that trust is more readily formed if police officers reflect the diversity of the world to which they are sent to protect. Like our colleague from Peru, I would be interested in Ms. Fitah-Kona’s views on best practices regarding the issue of community policing and establishing trust. As others have said, and echoing what the Commissioner of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, Ms. Gahonzire, had to say, we would like to see action against the obstacles that prevent women from entering the United Nations Police. I have one specific question for Mr. Abdounasir, the Commissioner for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is about what the most pressing challenges for United Nations Police are in the context of the recent strategic review of 24 September, and how he intends to meet them. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. We had a good round of questions and answers halfway through, and we have had a few more questions since then. I will again turn the floor over to the briefers to respond to the questions posed or make further comments. I give the floor to Mr. Lacroix. Mr. Lacroix: I will be brief. There were a few additional questions on women, and I am sure that there will be many elements in the answer to that question by the Heads of the police component. But I think that on the issue of what needs to be done, we should not only be increasing the number of women in peacekeeping and the United Nations Police but also making the environment more welcoming and appropriate for them. The first question in that regard was about accommodations and facilities. I think that it is quite clear that although a lot of work has been done in that regard, for which I would like to salute the role of the Department of Operational Support, more needs to be done to make the physical environment of our peacekeeping operations fully welcoming to women, particularly in the police. The second element has to do with the continuing issue of bias and misperception, which I believe was raised by my colleague to my left. As I said, I think that there is an awareness of the critical importance of increasing the number of women in United Nations Police among Member States, and certainly among ourselves. But we still have to work on those biases and misperceptions, which have to do with providing adequate training and improving sensitization. The Police Division has also made it easier for women to deploy for a shorter length of time, which is something that the Office of Military Affairs has done for female police officers as well. We hope that the possibility of reducing the length of deployment to six months will make it easier for women, particularly women with families, to consider deploying in the United Nations Police. The Police Division has rolled out a number of training programmes and encouraged women to apply to them, with a view to enhancing the capacity of female police officers to apply for a position in the United Nations Police. There are also a number of training sessions that are only for female police officers. I attended one in China last year and was very impressed not only by the level of training but also by how motivated the female officers being trained were and how eager they were to be deployed. I would also like to highlight that the last United Nations Police Commanders course, which was organized with the support of Germany, had 50 per cent female attendees. I think that there is therefore a lot being done to further open the possibility for women to apply and be deployed, including in senior positions. The President asked a question about the follow- on presence of the United Nations and the African Union (AU) in the Sudan, and Darfur in particular. The State liaison functions certainly have a very important rule-of-law component, including a police component. They are very active in capacity-building. The State liaison functions are a vehicle for transitioning from peacekeeping to peacebuilding. As the Council knows, we are in the process of working with the Sudanese authorities within the tripartite task force that we created with the AU to determine, in very close consultation with the Sudanese authorities, what the modalities and key priorities of a follow-on presence could be. It is a bit early to say more about that, but it seems to be quite clear that it is likely that this follow-on presence could have a strong capacity-building element following what the State liaison functions are doing. When we talk about capacity-building in peacekeeping or peacebuilding, I think that we are essentially talking about the key State capacities that have to do with security and the rule of law, and therefore the role of the police is very important. I would also like to address what the representative of Indonesia referred to regarding some of the key elements that we would like to enhance in order to improve the skills and capacity of our police component. I already mentioned the issues of language, facilities and accommodations and further increasing the role and participation of women, but I think it is also important to highlight the increasing need for very specific skills in the United Nations Police and which some statements have referred to. They include skills in criminal investigation, gender-based violence and organized crime, among a number of other things. What I would like to say in that regard is that the Police Division has developed very specific training groups and programmes to address this increasing need for some of the skills that I mentioned, inter alia. Therefore, these training programmes have been developed in very close consultation with Member States and by listening carefully to what our mission has to say in that regard. Of course, we are also making more and more requests to our police-contributing countries to provide us with police officers with those specific skills, which are increasingly needed in our mission.

I now give the floor to Ms. Fitah-Kona.

I would say that it is precisely because patrols are unarmed that they are able to win the trust of the people. I would also like to add that there are only three women in the patrols in the Kilomètre-5 district, so we also need to strengthen the presence of women in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). They patrol the entire district on foot and without weapons, which fosters the people’s trust in community-based policing. I would also like to mention that, since that crisis, our internal security forces have not been operational and are not present in the Third Arrondissement. However, thanks to MINUSCA, conditions have improved in the PK5 neighbourhood, where I am a Municipal Adviser. Allow me to offer my final thoughts. I would like to say that greater efforts must be made to protect women involved in community-based policing and even to encourage them. I also wish to state that disarmament must take place in our country, because we have lived through war. That would allow to promote development and respect for human rights. We also need to hold democratic elections in our country and ensure acceptable security conditions. I would like to conclude by reaffirming that the Central African Republic is counting on the international community. They are our brothers and sisters and must help us by supporting the peace process.

I now give the floor to Mr. Abdounasir.

At the outset, I would like to thank all of the speakers for their kind words about United Nations police. Regarding the question on organized crime, I would like to add that the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) police is working to support local authorities in establishing mechanisms at the national and provincial levels and to create synergies with regard to cross-border crime. A lot has been achieved, but I must say that much remains to be done, in light of the fact that a vast swathe of the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where armed groups operate, maintains direct links to organized crime. Turning to the question on the different challenges posed by the strategic review, I would like to raise three points that we believe are crucial. The first is the demilitarization of the response, in the understanding that the protection of civilians across much of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is an issue more of security than of defence. Our second challenge with regard to the strategic review was to reconcile the population with State institutions, because the people have lost confidence in the State authorities. We were essentially tasked with establishing community-based justice and with fighting all forms of impunity and other root causes of the gap between the population and State structures. The third challenge posed by the strategic review is the matter of restoring State authority across the country’s entire territory which, of course, involves the police, the judiciary, the prison system and the territorial administration. We believe that these are functions that the United Nations police could very easily fulfil and that is why we hope that the Council will recommend increased functions for the MONUSCO police force so that we can achieve these results.

I now give the floor to Ms. Gahonzire. Ms. Gahonzire: I am talking about promoting dialogue based on sustaining peace, which is being done throughout all phases of the mission. It is understood that the involvement of all actors in this regard is essential. For the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) to do this, we had to involve everyone, particularly women and children, in the understanding that, when it comes to violence, they are the ones who suffer most. We mobilized everyone across different segments of society, including women, children, youth and traditional and religious leaders. It is through this full participation of society that, along with the community protection committees, we were able to engage everyone in crime prevention and reduction campaigns. However, the problem remains that we do not have a host police force. Without a host police force, we cannot do much. The United Nations police has mobilized and strengthened community protection committees, in which we currently have 600 participants, 89 of whom are women, as well as crucial partners and even schoolchildren. However, there is no host police force. The other point is that, alongside our duties that are well prescribed in the initial mandate, we have to carry out reform and restructuring. In 2017, the reform and restructuring document was completed. In line with resolution 2445 (2018), we were supposed to meet the parties and conduct a joint integrated planning exercise. So far, the parties have been invited four times with a response from the Sudan only. We have mobilized the community, but there are decreasing numbers of individual police officers to mentor and advise them. Alongside that, we are witnessing increased levels of criminality and disorder. In 2017, the reconfiguration of UNISFA was headed by General Agwai, who is now retired. The findings were that the mandate did not match the situation on the ground. That was the reason for the reconfiguration. Through the adoption of resolution 2445 (2018), the Council increased the number of police personnel by 640, including three formed police units and 148 individual police officers. To date, none of them has been deployed. At same time, the number of individual police officers is decreasing. The situation warrants more law enforcement, but the United Nations police has done a lot, and I am glad to report that the communities appreciate and are demanding a greater United Nations police presence. Similarly, I wish to respond to question asked by the representative of Indonesia concerning the most pressing problem at the moment. We realize that the United Nations police is a system-wide provider and is the force’s face for the community. We are there. Crime is on the increase. It is as if we were walking on a tight rope. In 2011, the Security Council established the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei with a personnel ceiling of 50. Later, the situation demanded more. To date, there is insufficient force to respond to the increasing level of criminality. While Abyei is a contested area, we lack a host country police force. Overall, those are the challenges facing us as police officers.

I thank Ms. Gahonzire for her additional comments and honesty about the challenge. I now give the floor to Mr. Yacouba.

I thank Security Council members for their questions. I received a question on the primary role that the army plays in managing issues related to terrorism and on the support that the United Nations police can provide in that aspect. On the ground, the analyses done by all of the various partners point, first and foremost, to security issues that require appropriate responses. Mali has already adopted a national prevention strategy to counter violent extremism, terrorism and transnational organized crime, which is truly a comprehensive approach. All the various parts of the structure have their role to play. From a security perspective, we have civil defence missions within the framework of national defence. The army has a role to play, but it is limited to supporting the security services, which work with the justice system to ensure the legal framework for operations. At that level, I believe that the police of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, and the Mission in general, have worked to set up appropriate structures, including the specialized police and the specialized investigative brigade, which are wholly responsible for dealing with all issues related to terrorism. At the core of the structures of the police and the gendarmerie, we established investigative brigades with the ability to work on the ground to collect evidence of criminal activity, which is often very ephemeral. At any given time, we have people ready to be deployed on the ground at the request of the specialized brigades or of police officers already on the ground. I therefore believe that we have our role to play in that regard. We often receive requests from investigative judges to help them with their investigations. Two other questions that more or less can be answered as one concerned, first, the difficulties involved in the deployment of the Malian defence and security forces and obstacles hindering community- based policing. In that area, a national strategy on security sector reform has also been adopted. There is a secretariat responsible for the implementation of security sector reform, but unfortunately, although the structure has been established, I believe that the issue of political will remains. A new Permanent Secretary was appointed approximately two weeks ago. We hope that she will be able to move things forward. We are doing everything, as we wait, in responding to the most urgent cases in anticipation of the implementation of the security sector reform. As I said, community-based policing is essential to peace and security. Even if we deploy people on the ground, if they lack an accurate perception of the situation and trust is absent, they will not be able to enjoy the cooperation of the local population or collect the intelligence needed. That is why we are making the case for creating an environment of inclusivity. I think that the case we made before Ministry of Security was successful. Since then, a recruitment drive has been carried out based on a quota system by region. The Ministry of Defence has also, for the first time, authorized a quota for the Malian army and the national guard, and we hope that the presence of people from those communities in those forces will create the necessary conditions for improving the security situation on the ground. Those are the aspects that I wanted to speak to. The other aspect concerning deployment involves, first, the lack of equipment. Even if people are ready to be deployed, if the necessary infrastructure and equipment are lacking, we cannot deploy them, as their mere physical presence is not enough. They must be provided with the means necessary to protect themselves and the population. I take this opportunity to thank the countries that contribute to the Trust Fund in Support of Peace and Security in Mali, which has allowed us to accomplish much in terms of the redeployment of security and defence forces in both the north and the centre of the country.

I thank Mr. Yacouba for the clarifications provided. I thank all colleagues for what has been an excellent and thoroughly interactive discussion. I am particularly grateful to our three Police Commissioners for finding the time to brief the Security Council. Under-Secretary- General Lacroix is a more regular fixture, but it was good to have him, as well. I thank Ms. Fitah-Kona for joining us from Bangui, where, I know, it is now quite late, and for staying with us. It has been a rich opportunity to get information from those working on the ground. With particular regard to the Police Commissioners and those who serve under them, they have the gratitude and respect of the Council, which sends them on deployment and is very conscious of its obligations when it does so. I would also like to thank our interpreters for their excellent work, as always, our colleagues from Security Council Affairs Division and our conference officers for all they do.