TUVALU has deployed its first four police officers to serve in a United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, representing nearly 3 per cent of the country’s entire active police force.
The deployment marks a milestone for the Pacific island nation’s police service and its efforts to strengthen international peace and security.
It also places Tuvalu among a group of Pacific nations that contribute police and military personnel to UN and other international peace-support operations.
The officers, Petaia Aitopele, John Mainaga, Taemani Telaufatu and Amosa Sanaila, departed Tuvalu this week. Aitopele is leading the team, with Mainaga serving as deputy team leader.
They will serve alongside police from around the world in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, where they will help maintain peace, stability and the rule of law.
Prime Minister Feleti Penitala Teo congratulated the Tuvalu Police Service during his weekly press conference, acknowledging its years of work to meet United Nations requirements for peacekeeping operations.
Teo also recognised the specialised training required to qualify officers for UN peacekeeping duties. He said the deployment reflected Tuvalu’s “continued commitment to strengthening professionalism and building capacity through international partnerships.”
The prime minister acknowledged the government’s concern for the wellbeing of the officers serving overseas but expressed confidence in the United Nations’ “long-established systems for ensuring the safety and security of police personnel deployed on peacekeeping missions.”
The deployment follows years of work by the Tuvalu Police Service to meet UN requirements and represents the country’s first contribution of police officers to an international peacekeeping mission.
It also highlights the wider role of Pacific countries in international peacekeeping. Fiji is the region’s largest contributor by far and has sent police and military personnel to UN missions for more than four decades.
It has maintained personnel across operations, including UNMISS in South Sudan, UNAMI in Iraq, and UNDOF in the Golan Heights, with reported active deployments ranging from roughly 150 to 350 personnel globally.
Solomon Islands also deploys police officers through UN Police initiatives and participates in international peace-support operations.
Vanuatu has a strong history of sending police officers, including female officers, to UN peacekeeping duties, with personnel serving in UNMISS and other missions.
Other Pacific island nations, including Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Timor-Leste, participate in regional peacekeeping preparation and cooperation frameworks.
Through initiatives such as the Pacific Policing Initiative and Australian Federal Police UN training partnerships, officers from across the region undertake specialised pre-deployment training in Brisbane to prepare for UN peacekeeping assignments.
Tuvalu Cabinet has approved a Retention Agreement introduced by Commissioner of Police Matatia Makaili.
The agreement requires the officers to return to the Tuvalu Police Service after completing their deployment, initially set for 12 months. Any extension will be subject to the commissioner’s approval.
Makaili congratulated the officers on their selection and urged them to serve with “professionalism, humility and integrity.”
He said the officers had earned the trust of the government and the people of Tuvalu and expressed confidence that they would represent the nation “with distinction,” while gaining valuable experience that would strengthen the police service upon their return.
Before departing, the officers reaffirmed their commitment to serving with dedication under the United Nations while proudly representing Tuvalu.
They expressed hope that their deployment would pave the way for more Tuvaluan police officers to take part in future UN peacekeeping missions.
The deployment recognises the growing capability of the Tuvalu Police Service and opens new opportunities for Tuvalu to contribute to international peacekeeping while building a stronger and more experienced police service at home.
It also demonstrates how Pacific states, through direct deployments and regional training partnerships, are expanding their contribution to global peace and security.
