Steinmeier examines Afghan security commitment
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier continued his four-day visit to Afghanistan on Saturday with talks in Kabul about German and EU efforts to increase security through better policing.
On Saturday morning, Steinmeier met with the head of the EU Police mission (EUPOL), German Brigadier-General Jürgen Scholz. The EU wants to double the number of police trainers from 200 to 400. That would further increase EUPOL’s influence, Scholz said ahead of his meeting with Steinmeier. He added that the mission – the only EU organization active across the country – is on the right path.
Germany has also indicated readiness to double the number of its security advisors in Afghanistan to 120. Scholz said there was still a long way to go before local Afghan police would be in a position to act independently. He added that while the training of top-tier police officers was going smoothly, there were still weak points, such as the organization and carrying out of large-scale operations.
Scholz said there are considerably more weaknesses among lower-level local police officers, many of whom require training in such rudimentary areas as reading and writing. Afghanistan’s police force currently numbers between 75,000 and 85,000 officers, but as they are not highly regarded in society, they have little authority.
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On Saturday morning, Steinmeier met with the head of the EU Police mission (EUPOL), German Brigadier-General Jürgen Scholz. The EU wants to double the number of police trainers from 200 to 400. That would further increase EUPOL’s influence, Scholz said ahead of his meeting with Steinmeier. He added that the mission – the only EU organization active across the country – is on the right path.
Germany has also indicated readiness to double the number of its security advisors in Afghanistan to 120. Scholz said there was still a long way to go before local Afghan police would be in a position to act independently. He added that while the training of top-tier police officers was going smoothly, there were still weak points, such as the organization and carrying out of large-scale operations.
Scholz said there are considerably more weaknesses among lower-level local police officers, many of whom require training in such rudimentary areas as reading and writing. Afghanistan’s police force currently numbers between 75,000 and 85,000 officers, but as they are not highly regarded in society, they have little authority.
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