UAE Gathers UN Police Chiefs Peacekeepers to Drive Climate Action, Calls for Establishment of "Climate Observers"

ABU DHABI, UAE, Sept. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Arab Emirates, hosts of the upcoming COP28 climate summit, gathered the police leadership of the UN Peace Operations to enhance capacity and improve climate action in areas the most vulnerable to climate change. To that end, the UAE calls for an urgent establishment of UN Climate Incident Observers Unit.

The international gathering, which took place from the 14th to the 17th of September in Abu Dhabi, and was organized by the UAE Ministry of Interior, was designed to place an emphasis on embracing environmentally friendly and innovative practices in the UN Peace Operations.

The event brought together officials from United Nations Peace Operations from all over the world, including UN Police Division in the Department of Peace Operations, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), and key representatives from the UAE.

Over four intensive days of the UN workshop in Abu Dhabi, participants delved into critical aspects of the UN Peace Operations. The program specifically emphasized enhancing performance, accountability, and capability requirements within UN field operations. A key focus was the integration of cutting-edge technology and clean energy solutions in alignment with global environmental objectives. As the workshop concluded, officials collectively committed to taking essential steps toward environmentally responsible policing within peace operations.

Speaking about the event, Alexander Zuev, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions, said:

"Today, the importance of taking essential steps toward environmentally responsible policing within Peace Operations cannot be overstated. Our collective duty transcends traditional boundaries. We must strive not only to maintain peace but also to protect the planet that sustains us all. The United Nations, as a global leader in promoting peace and security, is committed to leading by example in this regard. We would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the UAE Ministry of Interior for their invaluable partnership and support in organizing this workshop. We look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership in the future", UN Assistant Secretary-General Zuev said.

United Nations Police Adviser in the DPO and Member of I2LEC Steering Committee, Faisal Shahkar added:

"The proposal to establish UN Climate Incident Observers is an extremely relevant endeavour, which would represent a pivotal stride toward integrating environmentally responsive policing into the fabric of the United Nations Peace Operations. In a world marked by escalating temperatures, mounting food and water insecurity, as well as environmental crimes, such initiative holds the potential to fortify our global security apparatus, especially in vulnerable regions. The "Climate Observers" would be dispatched to regions grappling with climate-change-induced events like mega fires, flooding, hurricanes, and more. Their mission: to conduct post-incident assessments and document invaluable insights into climate change preparedness and response of national law enforcement authorities. We are carefully studying the possibility of launching such unit together with our partners at I2LEC and regional police organizations such as AFRIPOL, ASEANPOL, EUROPOL, AMERIPOL", stated UN Police Adviser in the DPO Shahkar.

Lt. Col. Dana Humaid, Director General of the International Affairs Bureau of the UAE Ministry of Interior and Co-Chair of the International Initiative of Law Enforcement (I2LEC), highlighted:

"The UAE is deeply aware of the profound positive impact that the UN Peacekeepers or "Blue Helmets" have on the lives of certain vulnerable communities and even entire regions, plagued by conflicts. The integration of eco-friendly and innovative policing practices into UN Peace Operations is crucial to support climate action. That said, through collaboration and cooperation, we are confident in our ability to leverage our collective strength to enhance security in areas affected the most by climate challenges. In that regard, the UAE strongly believes in the urgent need of establishment of the UN Climate Incident Observers unit, which could be led by the UNDPO. This unit should be tasked with monitoring and responding to climate-related incidents. The UAE Ministry of Interior has already discussed this idea with relevant UN officials. We would like to reiterate that UAE is determined to provide relevant support to make the idea of "Climate Observers" a reality as soon as possible and be recognized hopefully as "Green Helmets" in same way that peacekeepers are known as "Blue Helmets"", stated Lt. Col. Humaid.

About the UAE's contribution to international peace operations efforts

Since the era of the Founding Father the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE has been a key player and important partner, helping peace initiatives succeed both regionally and internationally. Over the past decades, the UAE has participated in peace operations as part of many international initiatives. In 1976, the country took part in the Arab Deterrent Force in Lebanon to prevent the eruption of a civil war and maintain peace. In 1994, the UAE supported Bosnia after its war with Serbia and expressed concerns for the suffering of Bosnian Muslims, as well as contributed to many humanitarian projects aimed at helping rebuild Bosnia. In 1999, the UAE Armed Forces constructed camp in Kukes, Albania to shelter thousands of Kosovan refugees in Albania and participated in peace operations in Kosovo, being the only Muslim country to send forces to join peacekeeping forces in Kosovo upon NATO's approval. In 2003, the UAE participated in peace operations with over 1,200 soldiers, who played a key role in securing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.

About I2LEC

I2LEC is a global initiative, led by the UAE MOI in partnership with the UNODC, aimed at awareness-raising, capacity-building and research concerning crimes that affect the environment and climate change, as well as the response of global law enforcement community to the evolving scenarios of climate change. In addition to the representative from the UNDPO, I2LEC Steering Committee gathers high-level representatives from such international bodies as UNODC, INTERPOL, the UNEP/OCHA Joint Environmental Unit, EUROPOL, ESRI, and the UAE Ministry of Interior.