National Statement of Finland at the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit

Read the National Statement of Finland at the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit, delivered by Mr. Ilkka Koskimäki, National Police Commissioner of Finland, on 8 July 2026.

Ministers, Under-Secretary-General, Excellencies and Colleagues,

Thank you for the floor. Finland is a long-term police contributing country, and we have provided support to UN peace operations for seven decades. A Specialized Police Team - led by Finland and joined by Norway - works on gender-based and sexual violence in UNMISS for over ten years.

Today the role of policing in the UN peace operations is ever more crucial. Providing quality policing and skilled police expertise is the best way to ensure UNPOL’s impact when the footprint has been reduced at a time of financial constraints and contingency planning.

UNPOL plays a fundamental role in building capacities of host state’s law enforcement institutions in environments, where transnational organized crime, terrorism as well as mis- and disinformation campaigns pose threats to civilians, host governments and peacekeepers alike. Hence, the internal and external security of host and police contributing countries are strongly interlinked.

UNPOL should continue improving performance and further develop specialized capacities such as the Specialized Police Teams and prioritize merit-based recruitment supported by training.

As resources are limited, the role of coordination and cooperation cannot be overemphasized. Finland supports UN policing that leverages the policing capabilities and expertise across the whole UN system. At the headquarters level, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Policing should be fully utilized. At the mission level, co-ordination and cooperation with the military and civilian components as well as with other UN actors is key to successful missions.

You may rest assured that Finland remains a trusted partner for UNPOL and UN peace operations.

Thank you.