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DEPARTMENT
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
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RP
NO. 1 CONTRIBUTOR OF POLICE OFFICERS FOR UN PEACEKEEPING
The Philippine Mission, citing
statistics from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), said that
the
"The Filipino police
peacekeeper is doing our country proud by helping restore peace and rebuild
lives in places as near as Timor Leste and as far as Sudan," Ambassador
Hilario G, Davide Jr., Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said in
his report to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo.
Aside from the Philippines, the
others in the list of the top 10 contributors of civilian police officers are
the United States (284); Turkey (275); Germany (230); Cameroon (167); Niger
(165); France (159); Ghana (144); Zimbabwe (121); and Burkina Faso (120). The
figures cover individual police officers and do not include police officers
belonging to so called Formed Police Units.
"The Philippines climbed
to the top position as a result of Manila's positive response to the calls of
the UN for Member-States to contribute personnel in view of the unprecedented
surge in the demand for peacekeepers worldwide," Ambassador Davide said, as
he cited the cooperation of the PNP led by Director General Oscar Calderon.
"It is also an indication
of the high regard of the UN for Philippine police officers who have proven
their professionalism and competence in the various UN field missions as well as
in the UN Headquarters where three PNP officers have been seconded," he
added.
The bulk of the Philippine police officers (145) are deployed
with the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT) where former PNP Director
Rodolfo Tor is presently the Police Commissioner. The
rest are deployed in Kosovo (44);
Ambassador Davide expressed confidence that the Philippines will remain on the No. 1 spot especially with the commitment expressed early this year by Secretary Romulo to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for the Philippines to further enhance and expand its participation in UN peacekeeping operations. END
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