Benkő Tibor: Hungary Increases its Peace-keeping Engagement

Hungary increases its peace-keeping engagement – Minister of Defence Tibor Benkő stated at the meeting of Defence Ministers of the UN Member States in New York, according to Saturday’s, 30th March information of the Ministry.

The Friday’s conference held with the participation of 153 countries focussed on the peace-keeping engagements and the developments. The participants reported on their countries’ engagements in the UN peace-keeping missions, the military capabilities and the developments made in the area of the training systems, and the steps taken for the more effective protection of civilian people. According to the Ministry’s information, Tibor Benkő highlighted in the New York conference that Hungary remains committed to the peace-keeping operations, supports 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 that Hungary steps up the number of its soldiers involved in the peace-keeping missions from 1000 to 1200 troops.

The modernisation in the framework of the Zrínyi 2026 Zrínyi 2026 National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program  covers such segments, which are counted as lacking capabilities by the United Nations. According to the communication, during the UN Defence Ministerial conference, the Head of the Ministry conducted a bilateral discussion with the Swedish Defence Minister Mr. Peter Hultqvist about the experiences of the Gripen Fighter aircraft’s operation, and about the tasks of the Baltic Air-policing mission to start from May, in the course of which again Hungarian fighter aircraft will guard the airspace of the Baltic States upon the NATO’s request.

Tibor Benkő negotiated with Mr. Paul Kehoe, the Irish Defence Minister about the 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.

Tibor Benkő paid a four-day visit to the United States. He paid a courtesy visit to General André Lanata, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), briefed him about the modernisation of the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF), about the Zrínyi 2026 Zrínyi 2026 National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program, and about the fulfilment of the NATO-membership commitments. The Head of the Ministry visited the Hungarian soldiers serving in the personnel of the Headquarters – the Ministry of Defence stated.

During his visit to Washington D.C., on Wednesday, Tibor Benkő met Congressman Mr. Steve Stivers and General Joseph L. Lengyel, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau. In the discussion with Mr. Steve Stivers, the developments of historic significance taking place in the HDF were highlighted, as a result of which our Motherland – as a committed member of NATO – contributes to the strengthening of the regional security of the area. With General Joseph L. Lengyel they discussed NATO’s strategic direction south, the situation of the Western Balkans and Ukraine. They talked about the Defence Co-operation Agreement (DCA), the joint exercises and training events of the Ohio National Guard and the Hungarian Defence Forces, and also about the issue of migration. In relation to the latter, Tibor Benkő emphasised that such challenges as the fight against terrorism and illegal mass migration require constant and continuous attention, but today Hungary has the best and most effective external border protection of the European Union.

The Head of the Ministry met the representatives of the local Hungarian diaspora in Washington D.C., informed them about the national policy objectives of the Hungarian Government, thereby reinforcing the high priority of the Hungarian communities abroad, and that to care for them is included among the priorities of the Hungarian Government.

Photos of the Ministry of Defence