Mister Atre urges renewed investment in U.N. policing as funding falls

Mister Atre, delivering remarks on behalf of the U.N. secretary-general at the 5th United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit, urged leaders to renew partnerships and invest in U.N. policing as resources tighten. He said the summit is "our chance to forge solutions" to rising global security challenges.

Atre framed the threat landscape as increasingly complex: "Conflicts are proliferating. Criminal networks are operating across borders, and technology is opening up new pathways for exploitation and cruelty," he said, arguing that those trends make multilateral cooperation essential.

He described United Nations Police as "on the front lines" in preventing violence, protecting vulnerable people and delivering services in some of the hardest environments, and praised the discipline and professionalism demanded of officers serving under the U.N. flag.

Highlighting gender as a programmatic priority, Atre said, "We welcome increased efforts to deploy women police officers who play such a critical role in promoting peace, strengthening the rule of law, and empowering women and girls in conflict affected communities." He presented that expanded deployment as both a practical and ethical imperative.

Atre warned that "funding for peace operations is in decline," adding, "We're being called upon to deliver greater impact with fewer resources, and the communities we serve are paying the price." He urged attendees to use the summit to renew partnerships and chart a common path forward to address organized crime, cybercrime, trafficking and illicit financial flows.

He closed by calling for policing that is people-centered, grounded in human rights and the rule of law, advances gender equality and builds trust, and asked member-state leaders to invest in policing that protects communities and upholds dignity.

The moderator thanked Mister Atre and moved on to the next item on the summit agenda. No formal votes or motions were recorded in the transcript.