New assessments of Finland’s role in crisis management in Afghanistan could lead to an increase in the number of Finnish military and civilian workers stationed in the country. Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies (Nat. Coalition Party) said on Thursday that a report on the Finnish role in Afghanistan after the elections would come out this autumn.
On Thursday evening, Häkämies travelled to the Slovak capital Bratislava to take part in a meeting on crisis management in Afghanistan, which was being held in connection with the NATO defence ministers’ meeting in that city.
The changes are to be implemented in 2011 at the latest, when Sweden transfers its command from soldiers to civilians in the regional reconstruction group that it leads in Mazar-i-Sharif. Finland is also involved in the group.
“Civilian crisis management is being increased. This means that the number of soldiers also needs to be increased”, Häkämies said to Helsingin Sanomat.
He said that Finland was working together with Sweden in the preparation of the changes.
Under current plans, Finland should have 130 soldiers in Mazar-i-Sharif at the beginning of next year.
