Press release
09 March 2010
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Swede appointed head of UN Police
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has today announced the appointment of Ann-Marie Orler as the new United Nations Police Adviser. This is the highest ranking police official in the UN system.
"The number of police officers deployed in UN missions has risen dramatically from around 1 000 in 1995 to, at present, approximately 16 000 from some one hundred different countries. I warmly welcome Ann-Marie Orler's appointment to this important position of responsibility," comments Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt.
"UN police work involves strengthening justice so as to enhance people's confidence in the justice system, which in turn prevents wars and unrest. I am very pleased that this important task has been assigned to a Swede," says Minister for Justice Beatrice Ask.
Background
Ann-Marie Orler has served as UN Deputy Police Adviser since 2008. Police officers have been deployed in UN missions since 1960 but their numbers have increased dramatically in recent years. Today, some 100 countries are involved in 17 different UN missions around the world. In her role as Deputy Police Adviser, Ann-Marie Orler has worked intensively to recruit police officers to various UN missions and in particular to increase the number of women police officers.
Contact
Anna Charlotta Johansson(journalists only) Press Secretary to Carl Bildt
+46 8 405 54 73
+46 70 356 30 32
email to Anna Charlotta Johansson Martin Valfridsson
Press Secretary to Beatrice Ask
