UN peacekeeping chief seeks expanded Turkish role in missions

U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the United Nations is eager to expand Türkiye's role in peacekeeping missions, praising Turkish personnel as "remarkable" during a visit that included meetings in Ankara and a tour of the Turkish Police Academy.

Lacroix spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA) about his visit and Türkiye's contributions to global peace initiatives. "We have a very strong and very longstanding cooperation with Türkiye in the field of peacekeeping operations," Lacroix said. He noted that Türkiye's support includes deploying personnel, particularly police and officers, to U.N. missions, as well as cooperation in training and capacity building.

"I have met Turkish peacekeepers, both men and women, very frequently in different missions, especially in Africa," Lacroix said. He praised their performance, commitment and professionalism as "remarkable," adding that this provides a strong basis for increasing Türkiye's presence in peacekeeping. "We very much look forward to not only continuing but increasing our cooperation with Türkiye," he said.

During his visit, Lacroix toured the Turkish Police Academy, describing it as an institution providing extensive peacekeeping training with potential for further cooperation. He said Türkiye has significant expertise in areas critical to U.N. operations, including training and equipping peacekeepers, using digital technologies effectively and combating disinformation.

Addressing recent tensions involving Israeli attacks on Lebanon, Hezbollah's response and incidents targeting peacekeepers, Lacroix said six peacekeepers had been killed in recent weeks, and investigations are ongoing. He stressed that protecting peacekeepers is primarily the responsibility of parties to a conflict. "The responsibility for protecting the safety and security of peacekeepers is a responsibility of the parties to a conflict, and those obligations have to be reaffirmed, as well as the fact that crimes against peacekeepers may also constitute war crimes," he warned.

Lacroix highlighted that the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has long operated in a dangerous environment and that peacekeepers continue to take measures to protect themselves. He also explained the distinction between peacekeeping and warfare. "Peacekeepers are peacekeepers. Yes, they can use force to defend themselves. They can use force to defend their mandate, but it's different," he said. "Peacekeeping is different from war, and I think that has to be understood by all."

Lacroix said the U.N. will continue efforts to enhance the safety and security of peacekeeping personnel, arguing that cooperation with countries like Türkiye is essential. "We are operating in a polarized environment, under increasingly dangerous conditions and financial constraints," he said. "But I think the key message is that our peacekeepers, including Turkish peacekeepers, every single day make a huge difference. They protect hundreds of thousands of civilians, help maintain cease-fires and support states in building capacity and the rule of law."