Hungary Increases its Peace-keeping Engagement

The main topic of the UN Member States’ Defence Ministerial meeting was the engagements and developments in peace-keeping operations, where our homeland was represented by Tibor Benkő. The representatives of 153 countries attended the conference, in which their engagements in the UN peace-keeping missions, the developments made in the area of military capabilities and training systems, and the actions undertaken for the more effective protection of civilians were announced.

Hungary remains committed to the peace-keeping operations, supporting the fight against terrorism and the maintenance of peace in the conflict zones of the world. This is illustrated in particular by the Governmental decision of January 2019, according to which Hungary increases its contribution to the peace-keeping missions from 1000 to 1200 troops. The modernisation taking place in the framework of the Zrínyi 2026 National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program also covers such segments, which are raised as lacking capabilities by the United Nations.

Prior to the meeting of the defence ministers, Tibor Benkő had a limited discussion with H.E. Ambassador Ms. Katalin Bogyay, the Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN, with whom they reviewed together the possible relations between the armed forces development program and the current UN Directions. In his answer to the question of Madam Ambassador, Defence Minister said that the percentage of women in the Hungarian Defence Forces amounts to 20 percent, by which we rank high among the Member States.

On the margins of the UN Defence Ministerial conference, Minister of Defence negotiated with the Swedish and the Irish Defence Ministers in bilateral discussion. With the Swedish Defence Minister they consulted about the experiences of the operation of the Gripen fighter aircraft and the Baltic air policing mission, starting from May, where upon the NATO’s request again Hungarian fighter aircraft will guard the air space over the Baltic States.

The meeting with the Irish Defence Minister took place in relation to a future joint UN-engagement. As planned, the Hungarian soldiers – as part of a Polish company – will soon join an Irish-led peace-keeping battalion in Lebanon.

Minister of Defence meets the representatives of the Hungarian communities living in New York during the last stop of his American program on 30th March.

Photos of the Ministry of Defence