 An Italian peacekeeping officer poses with a baby at the mission field. Providing humanitarian aid to people in the region deployed is part of important duties for the Italian Peacekeeping forces. / Courtesy of Italian Embassy |
There are currently approximately 9,108 Italian men and women abroad making an important contribution to reconstruction, stability and peacekeeping efforts.
They are engaged in 33 different missions in 21 countries all over the world.
From Africa to the Balkans and from the Middle East to Asia, Italian soldiers and peacekeepers are making highly significant political, military and financial contributions through the various operations being carried out or authorized by the United Nations in all the major crisis areas across the world.
This role is born out, first and foremost, by its deployment of men and women. Italy is among those sending the largest numbers of troops on peacekeeping missions.
But Italy's role is important also in terms of financial means, ranking sixth among contributors both to the United Nations' general budget and to the U.N. peacekeeping budget.
Italy's engagement in peacekeeping missions throughout the world has been part of the country's foreign policy. Since the 1960s, it has deployed to numerous U.N. missions, with a significant contribution in terms of human life, particularly in 1963 in Congo.
Italian involvement in the international scene increased with the Lebanon mission in the 1980s, and continued to grow through the 1990s with participation in many multinational missions authorized by the U.N.
One of its main interventions was the Balkans region but Italy's participation in humanitarian missions was quite considerable, especially on the African continent (Somalia and Mozambique).
Italian troops are presently deployed to seven of the 18 missions led by the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) ― United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara; United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus; United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon; United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo; United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan; United Nations Truce Supervision Organization; and African Union- United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur.
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Italian troops are also involved in the following multinational missions: European Union Force, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, European Union Monitoring Mission, European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, International Security Assistance Force, and European Union Police Mission.
Italy contributes to peace and stability not only through missions abroad, but also through its effort in providing high-level training and logistical support.
In this context, Italy stepped up collaboration between the U.N. and the EU in the area of crisis management.
Our country participates in various European initiatives, including the EU battle groups and the European Gendarmerie Force headquartered in Vicenza (Italy), which can also be deployed on UN peacekeeping missions.
Italy also makes a major contribution to peacekeeping reforms through the U.N. Logistics Base in Brindisi (Italy).
This base is located at a strategic point at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The base has steadily grown in importance as the main operational hub for the DPKO outside of New York.
The base was established for the primary purpose of operating a logistical center for the U.N.'s operations in the world, and now plays a key role in fostering efficient management of peacekeeping operations and rapid deployment of new U.N. missions.
To foster a coordinated, consistent, and effective approach to research and training, the Brindisi Logistical Base offers the opportunity to cooperate with other institutions and bodies located in Italy that conduct training and research activities, such as the United Nations Staff College in Turin (UNSSC) and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa.
Finally, the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) was established in Vicenza (Italy) in 2005 as an international training center.
Its mission is to train international stability police for peace operations and thereby increase their numbers.
CoESPU also serves as a center for developing doctrine and common operational procedures for the deployment of gendarme or Carabinieri-like forces on peace support operations.
Italy welcomes the engagement of the Republic of Korea in ensuring a significantly increasing contribution to multilateral peacekeeping mission.
The cooperation between Italy and Korea in this field ― for instance in the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon ― is already excellent and we look forward to improve it more in order to promote peace, stability and reconstruction around the globe.
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