Published on: 2026-07-08
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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July 7, 2026 Peace and Security
On Tuesday, the fifth Summit of Police Chiefs of UN Member States began at the UN headquarters in New York. The two-day forum brought together ministers, police service leaders, and representatives of law enforcement agencies to discuss how UN police and national police bodies can strengthen cooperation in addressing global security challenges.
“The purpose of this summit is to discuss how the Organization can continue to effectively support UN police officers participating in peacekeeping operations, and to develop UN police activities in light of current security challenges,” said the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
Lacroix emphasized that long-term peacekeeping efforts are impossible without effective police work, strong international cooperation, and support for the police officers who serve daily under the most difficult conditions.
Consequences of funding cuts
Lacroix also noted that the recent funding cuts, caused by some member states not fully paying their mandatory contributions, have already “affected the most important areas of work.” He explained that the approved budgets remain in force, but due to lack of funds it is impossible to implement them in full. As a result, expenses had to be cut by twenty-five percent, which means fewer patrols in high-risk areas, slower response to new crises, and reduction of training and support programs for local police, who will have to ensure security on their own after the completion of peacekeeping missions.
The foundation of a sustainable world
Despite financial difficulties, policing remains one of the key elements of sustainable peace. This was stated by UN Police Adviser Faisal Shahkar.
Unlike military peacekeepers, UN police officers work directly with local communities. They help strengthen the capacity of national police services, restore public trust in law enforcement agencies, and support the functioning of the criminal justice system in the post-conflict period. Their activities cover a wide range of tasks – from combating organized and cybercrime to countering sexual and gender-based violence.
The results of this work are already visible in many areas where peacekeeping operations are deployed. For example, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN police officers participate in protecting the civilian population by conducting joint patrols and supporting the local police in high-risk areas. In the Central African Republic, they assist authorities in ensuring security during the preparation and conduct of elections. And in the Abyei area, the development of community-oriented policing activities alongside mediation and dialogue have contributed to reducing tensions between communities and increasing women’s participation in local security provision.
Peace is not just the cessation of hostilities
According to Shakhar, the focus of the current summit is the future of UN policing, including the implementation of new technologies, strengthening partnerships, and increasing effectiveness in countering transnational threats. The expert emphasized that for people living in conflict conditions, peace is not only the cessation of armed violence.
“For people affected by conflict, peace is not only the absence of gunfire. It is also the ability to return home, send children to school, achieve justice, and trust the institutions meant to protect them,” he said.
The Growing Role of the UN Police
For the first time, UN police officers were deployed to participate in a UN peacekeeping operation in Congo in 1960. At the request of the newly independent Republic of Congo, they supported the peacekeeping forces after Belgium, without the consent of the government, sent its troops into the country to suppress disturbances that broke out following independence.
Since 1948, 321 UN police officers have died in the line of duty.
As the demand for international police support grew, UN police personnel began participating in an increasing number of peacekeeping operations in various regions of the world—from Cambodia to El Salvador. The peak number of police personnel was recorded in 2010, when 14,669 police officers served in UN peacekeeping missions.
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