Finland remains committed to UN Peacekeeping – Read more about today’s statement at UNHQ
Finland remains strongly committed to support the UN Peacekeeping operations and Secretary General’s A4P, the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. Currently Finland is participating in 10 different crisis management operations with approximately 400 soldiers. In recent years we have also strengthened our contributions to peacekeeping training.
Today on March 29, The United Nations hosted the 2019 Peacekeeping Ministerial on Uniformed Capabilities, Performance and Protection. In Finland’s Statement, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Jukka Juusti informed the other member states that Finland has delivered most of our commitments of the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial meeting, and the contributions are ready and in place.
Finland's main effort is in UN operations with altogether 220 soldiers currently deployed to UNIFIL, UNTSO and MINUSMA. We have the increased the number of our police officers serving in UN operations ten-fold.
We highly value peacekeeping training. Finland shares the concern of availability and deployability of forces to UN missions. Peacekeeping operations are more complex and more robust than before. In addition to the number of forces, we have to make sure that the quality and capability of the forces is high enough for them to be able to accomplish the mandate.
How is Finland contributing to the peacekeeping training? Read the whole statement here.
What is A4P?
In March 2018 the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the A4P to modernize UN Peacekeeping. The initiative aims at refocusing peacekeeping with realistic expectations; making peacekeeping missions stronger and safer; and mobilizing greater support for political solutions and for well-structured, well-equipped, well-trained forces.