 |
Press Releases
June 6, 2007
Germany to Contribute up to 60 Police Advisors to the EU Police Mission in Afghanistan
The Federal Cabinet decided today that Germany would contribute up to 60 officers from the Federal Police and the police forces of the German Länder (federal states) as well as possibly other experts to the planned EU police mission in Afghanistan.
On May 30, 2007, the European Union agreed to send a police mission to Afghanistan (EUPOL Afghanistan) under the auspices of the European Security and Defence Policy. The mission will build on Germany’s activities in this field to date and put this ongoing work onto a broader European footing.
Friedrich Eichele of Germany, currently Vice-President of the Federal Police Central District, will head EUPOL Afghanistan.
The mission's strategic goal is to assist the Afghan Government in establishing a police force that enjoys the confidence of Afghan citizens, is committed to rule of law principles and is increasingly capable of meeting national security needs with its own resources. As a result of this process more and more Afghan citizens will benefit from the reconstruction effort also in provinces where reconstruction has hitherto been hindered due to security problems.
The EU mission will consist of 195 persons in total. Besides Germany, most other EU Member States also plan to participate. A number of third countries, too, including Canada and Norway, will contribute.
EUPOL Afghanistan will start operating on June 15; it will be implemented progressively and last at least three years. The official launch will take place in Kabul on June 17. The mission's members will have no executive authority but are authorized to use their weapons in self-defense. EUPOL Afghanistan will operate throughout the country. Germany's assistance activities, however, will continue to be concentrated in the Northern Region and Kabul.
As partner nation for police reform in Afghanistan, Germany has for the past five years been coordinating the establishment of a professional Afghan police force. To date it has run one-year and three-year training courses for 4,250 middle-rank and higher-rank police officers and provided further training for over 18,000 officers. Together with a large number of international partners, including notably the United States, well over 70,000 Afghan police officers, both male and female, have now received basic and further training.
Currently, 49 German police advisors as well as short-term experts are working with the Afghan Interior Ministry on training and equipping the Afghan police force as well as developing the necessary infrastructure. Since March 2007, 30 military police from the Federal Armed Forces have also been deployed to support this work.
|
|
Press Information
 Press Releases
Contacts
Officials & Institutions
Background Papers
Newsletters
 Printer-Friendly
Page
Email This Article |
|
|
