Ten police officers departed for a peacekeeping mission in South Sudan

Ten police officers from various law enforcement agencies in BiH departed for South Sudan today, who will spend the next year in a UN peacekeeping mission, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

The police officers were seen off at Sarajevo International Airport by the Minister of Security, Dragan Mektić, who wished them a safe journey, good luck, and success in their mission. In light of the increasing number of crisis areas in the world, he emphasized the importance of this humanitarian mission and the role of BiH police officers in preserving peace and assisting the endangered population.

- I am convinced that you, like your colleagues before you, will show a high level of knowledge and expertise, professional and human conduct during your stay in South Sudan. Justify the trust placed in you and serve with pride to the police agencies you come from and to our homeland - Mektić said.

The police officers who departed for South Sudan today are: Davor Jovović – SIPA, Armin Arslan – SIPA, Almir Bolić – Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, Sanel Mrđanović - Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, Irena Marelja – GP BiH, Mersiha Husaković – Čehajić – MUP RS, Sandra Bašanović – MUP USK, Enver Alibegović – MUP USK, Lejla Hajro – MUP KS, and Erik Vrbanjac – MUP SBK.

Mektić emphasized that the Ministry of Security of BiH strives to utilize potentials and open new avenues for the engagement of police services from Bosnia and Herzegovina in peace support operations, where the most likely mission is in Haiti. With this, BiH shows its commitment to active participation in peacekeeping operations, which also represents an obligation of UN member states.

A total of 251 police officers have participated in peace support operations since 2000, in Liberia, South Sudan, Cyprus, Sudan, East Timor, and Haiti. Currently, 29 police officers are deployed in Liberia, South Sudan, and Cyprus. BiH has two police officers in professional duties within the UN in Somalia, and one each in South Sudan and Afghanistan.