How German police promote peace and democracy
35 years of involvement: Germany’s participation in United Nations police missions around the world
It was in 1989 that the Federal Republic of Germany first sent police officers abroad to join a UN police mission. The destination was Namibia. The former German colony was under the protectorate of South Africa and was to become independent. The UN mission supported this process. In the 35 years since then, Germany has participated in 13 UN police missions. Other international missions include those under the leadership of the EU. Over the years, more than 1,300 German police officers have been deployed on behalf of the UN. Many of them on several occasions, such as Detective Chief Inspector Dörthe Papakonstantinou of the Hamburg police force, who has taken part in two missions in Kosovo and two in Afghanistan.
Cambodia – security at the first democratic elections
A good example of the work done by the UN missions is the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), which operated from 1992 to 1993. The aim here was largely to ensure security at the elections – the first in Cambodia after decades of bloody civil war. With a total of 150 German officers, UNTAC not only protected the elections but also helped set up and train a civilian police force. This work made an important contribution to the peace process. Bilateral relations remains close to this day: Cambodia is among those countries that Germany is involved with in connection with development cooperation.
Haiti – police training and relief for unforeseen disasters
The MINUSTAH mission in Haiti exemplifies the diverse range of work that UN missions involve. Here, 150 German police officers worked in various areas between 2004 and 2017. While also ensuring public safety, they were mainly there to train the Haitian police. Severe natural disasters occurred during the mission, in particular the terrible earthquake which killed between 220,000 and 500,000 people in 2010. German police officers from the UN mission were among those who provided immediate emergency aid at the time and later supported the reconstruction.
See here for everything you need to know about Germany’s commitment to UN peacekeeping missions.
