This issue contains 4 sections.

Afghanistan

In the past few years, Dutch military personnel have taken part in missions in Afghanistan. Currently, Dutch military personnel, police officers and diplomats have been deployed for the training of police officers in Afghanistan. The training of the police force is a vital factor on the road to a stable society.

The Rutte-Asscher government will complete the Dutch mission in Afghanistan on schedule in 2014.

Structure of the mission in Afghanistan

Between the summer of 2011 and mid-2014, the Netherlands provides training to the civilian police force in northern Afghanistan. A total of 545 personnel will be deployed and stationed partly in Kunduz province and partly in the capital city of Kabul and in Mazar-e Sharif.

The training mission will involve 225 civilian and military trainers and 5 legal experts. German units in the area are responsible for their protection and 125 Dutch military personnel will lend medical, logistic and staff support to the police trainers in Kunduz. Seventy Dutch military personnel work at the various headquarters in Afghanistan, while the F-16 detachment in Mazar-e Sharif numbers 120 Dutch servicemen and women.

International cooperation in Afghanistan

In the context of the police training mission, the Netherlands is contributing to both the externe link: European Union Police Mission (EUPOL) and the externe link: NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan (NTM-A).