One of Us
One of Us - Gregory Vinot
During the only half hour slot Gregory Vinot manages to find in his busy agenda to talk about himself as the newly appointed Head of Operations (HoOPS) at EUPOL COPPS, a clear core message comes through straightforwardly: “I am here because this fits my personal values as European and as French citizen”. Born in the 70s, in Radolzell in Germany, Gregory cultivated a passion for history and philosophy since his teenager’ years. His schoolteachers bet he would join their club, but growing into a young man, instead of deepening his knowledge of history through books, Gregory opted for “playing a part in the making of it”. This, says Gregory, drove his decision to serve his country and the EU as a Gendarmerie officer deployed in various capacities to places like Bosnia (2001-02 and 2021), Afghanistan (2018-20) and Palestine (2025-present). “If we are at peace in Europe is certainly due to the existence of the EU, which brings us, citizen fighting each other not that long ago in World War II, close together”, the French Gendarme explains. Experiencing firsthand some major crises pushed even more Gregory to focus on peace and security in his work choices. During 9/11 he was engaging in bilateral assignments with US colleagues, and in 2014 as Head of the Gendarmerie in Nice he had to deal with terror attacks on the Riviera city. EUPOL COPPS is for Gregory the ultimate example of his commitment to be “on the right side of history”. The EU approach to the “Two States Solution” between Israel and Palestine matches Gregory’s beliefs. Additionally, EUPOL COPPS can be a game changer to make the life of Palestinians better, says the HoOPS. “Organised crime worldwide use borders for all kind of atrocities, from human trafficking to weapons smuggling, because they know that coordination among security institutions inspired by legality is complex, unlike breaking the rules”, explains Gregory, who now leads a team of EU officers engaging in Rule of Law and Security Sector reform files with their Palestinian colleagues on a daily (needs driven) bases, within the framework of the Mission’s mandate. The HoOPS, married and father of two children in their twenties, says he is particularly grateful to his wife as she has done a lot more than him to guide his kids due to his Mission’s engagements oversea. “The say goes that behind a great man there is a great woman, and I totally subscribe to this, although with modesty when it comes to me”, says jokingly Gregory. On this subject he adds that he would like his daughter specialised in International Relations, war studies and EU institutions, to see him as a role model, “a father behind a great daughter”. Coming from the seaside, Gregory’s favorite dish is unsurprising fish. Although not as fresh as the one from the French riviera, he can have it delivered to the Ramallah office. This small treat, added to the daily video calls to his family in Europe and his parents in Tunisa, give Gregory working days a better taste of home away from home.
Abdulqader Al-Jubeh -- Software Developer/Database Administrator
Throughout 20 years, Abdulqader Al-Jubeh has worked behind computer screens, solving technical challenges and developing digital solutions that make people's daily work easier. A 44-year-old father of five, Jubeh graduated from the Palestine Polytechnic University in Hebron with a degree in Information Technology (IT). For the Hebronite black-bearded man, software development is not only programming but rather finding solutions which can save people time and make them work more effectively. While his contributions may not always be visible, the impact of his work is felt almost every day by the colleagues who rely on the systems he has built at EUPOL COPPS, which he joined in 2016. During the last decade, he has managed to develop several software applications which changed the way the employees work. these help to simplify administrative processes, facilitate workflow and minimise the chances of making mistakes. The greatest innovations are often the ones people don't notice but rely on every single day, Jubeh says. True innovation isn't measured by visibility, but by the difference it makes in people's daily work, he adds. Combining a busy career and family obligations, Jubeh still finds motivation in his achievements, gaining a sense of purpose when helping with technology can be used for improving day-to-day life of people.
Roberto Arcieri – Head of Operations
In his early teens EUPOL COPPS Head of Operations, Roberto Arcieri, already envisaged he would wear a uniform as a grown-up. Being born in 1973 and raised in the ancient Grumo Appula, founded in Roman times and part of the Alta Murgia National Park in Southeastern Italy, Roberto grew up observing at close range the difference between good and bad, which translates into the State and its enemies. The organised crimes generally known as the mafia, was at the time active primarily in the South of the Italian peninsula, yet, moving its tentacles within transnational business and corruption. Exemplary Italian institutional figures like anti-mafia judges Rocco Chinnici, Giovanni Falcone, Paolo Borsellino, and Carabinieri officers like General Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa, Lt. Col. Russo, Cap. Basile paid with their lives their long-lasting fight on organised crime. They all died in the line of duty to defend the principles of legality, justice, freedom, equality, and dignity, by opposing the criminal power that threatens democracy. The ultimate sacrifice of some fellow Italians has been the game changer for Roberto, who picked the right side of the law joining the Italian Carabinieri (one of Italy’s primary law enforcement agencies, distinguished by their military status and broad range of responsibilities both domestically and internationally) at the age of 19. Being a Carabiniere has meant Roberto to be constantly on the move, either in his country, or abroad. “I was never in the same place for more than four years” says Roberto, who nevertheless managed to raise two children, now young adults, together with his wife. Roberto, who has the rank of Colonel, joined EUPOL COPPS last year, but he was not new to Palestine, as he was already here working for Carabinieri MIADIT (Missione Addestrativa Italiana) Mission in the framework on the US State Security Coordination (now Office of the Security Coordinator - OSC) coalition. Prior to that he has worked in various capacities, in different Italian regions fighting common and organized crimes, in international engagements in Bosnia Herzegovina, Eritrea, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Mali and also in Brussels, Belgium, focusing on African issues. As a EUPOL COPPS Head of Operations, leading colleagues working to support Palestinian justice and civilian security sectors, Roberto feels the experience changes him every day. The keyword in the Palestinian context is “flexibility” says Roberto, who strives to find solutions to the continuous challenges faced by the Palestinian counterparts the Mission is mandated to support, and for EUPOL COPPS itself. An approach certainly appropriate given the uncertainty facing Palestine and the wider region at this very moment.
Khadija Aldeek
When EUPOL COPPS Financial Verification Officer, Khadija Aldeek from Palestine, sits down at her desk, she does not just see numbers on spreadsheets or invoices; she sees the foundation of trust that holds the entire mission together. At EUPOL COPPS, the Birzeit University accounting graduate reviews transactions to ensure they are in line with EU rules, related internal policy and international best practices. Having worked with international organisations and with major Palestinian companies, she brings international know-how together with local knowledge to her job. For Khadija financial verification is not a box-ticking exercise, but a necessary step towards accountability and transparency. She sees it not just as a rule to be followed, but as a safeguard—a way of making sure every euro is spent as it ought, of building trust, and of keeping the Mission's financial systems secure. In the seven months she's been working at EUPOL COPPS, she has made a real impact. Her influence extends beyond paperwork. She is a valued mentor to colleagues across departments, helping to clarify on procedures and best practices. "I don't merely point out mistakes, I also show how to prevent them," she says. "My goal is to enable others to do better when following EU financial rules." Her no-nonsense, calm approach has also made her a source of contact for employees who are struggling with money matters. She's made many see this work differently, transforming it from a chore into a chance for development and learning. "Done correctly, financial verification protects the entire organisation. It's not just about finding mistakes—it's a matter of trust-establishment, system-strengthening, and knowing that every decision is being made on the foundation of accurate, verified information," she says. With her integrity, professionalism, and enthusiasm, Khadija Aldeek isn't just implementing financial regulations—sews a culture of accountability and trust, one transaction at a time, says Khadija, a dedicated mother of three, balancing family and career with discipline and focus.
Maria Ek Odsjo
Our deputy Head of Justice Unit, Maria Ek Odsjo, is a senior judge in her mid-50s. In Sweden, where she comes from, she has for the last years extensively been working on asylum and security related cases, including dealing with individuals arriving from then ISIS ruled Syria and Iraq. The cases she was presented with, reached Maria through the criminal justice chain, having been dealt with by the Swedish police before arriving on her desk.. Her latest role in the Swedish justice system was to lead and manage the work of around 45 legal professionals. Each of them had cases to solve. Maria had the overall oversight and also, depending on the situation, the responsibility to approve asylum, . This has exposed Maria with a wide range of people coming from parts of the world she had never travelled to. In other words, she had the opportunity to get to know different cultures through human and professional interaction doing her job in Stockholm. Asked when and how the decision to be a judge appeared on her life horizon, Maria answers that this happened during her time as a young law clerk in a small town in her homeland. Having always been interested in society and political science, Maria initially chose law for her university studies with the initial attitude of “giving it a try”. She explains that she “very much liked both criminal and civilian proceedings, as well as social law”. Much later, as an experienced professional, Maria represented Sweden in Brussels, working at the Swedish Permanent EU Representation with law drafting. The choice to join EUPOL COPPS and come to Palestine is partly linked to her experience in dealing with many cases involving people from the Middle East.. “I wanted to experience the culture firsthand, meet the people, to see for myself what it looks like, to experience what it means to walk through Damascus Gate in the daylight and at night. Now that I can do it, I know what an amazing feeling it is to pass by this special place. This means something special to me and has taught me something essential about different life conditions. When Maria first joined the Mission, she was a Senior Justice Advisor advising her Palestinian colleagues on court proceeding related matters. She had the possibility to learn from her Palestinian colleagues and share her own experiences from her own professional career. Working in an international environment such as an EU Mission is also somehow life changing, indicates Maria. “In my current role, I strive to support my colleagues in solving challenges and problems, when these occur. With the counterparts I now see my role as a way of giving my contribution to advancing Rule of Law in Palestine”. Among the milestones carrying a personal touch during her career as a judge, Maria recalls the time she had a case of a Palestinian family coming from Iraq exposed to a very difficult situation where she contributed to them being granted asylum on the basis of the need for education of their young children aged 10 and 12. As every new experience in life produces a change in each of us, working in Palestine has made Maria, as she explains, a bit humbler as an individual, more understanding of difficult situations, having had the chance to see these firsthand. The realisation of having an EU-passport appearing “privileged” compared to others, for example Palestinians (many can’t even have one), is also a humbling experience, says Maria, who has observed what happens at border crossing points like the Allenby Bridge (border between Israel and Jordan, editor’s note), seeing the difference of procedures occurring according to the kind of documentation provided. “I now understand a lot more things about the people from the Middle East I met in my country” says Maria. When thinking about the time when she will be returning to Sweden, Maria believes her experience in Palestine will make her a better judge. Although, she said, I think I would prefer to have further experiences in CSDP Missions after Palestine before returning to be a judge in my country. She has pinned Ukraine on the map, where a sister EU Civilian CSDP is deployed, however that will have to wait as there still so much to do here to support Palestine.
“I want to be one of them”, said 4-year-old Anu pointing at a police car
Looking out of the window at her grandparents’ house in the town of Pori, Finland, Anu Aro, asked her grandma what that was pointing the finger at a police car. “I want to be one of them”, said the then 4 years old Anu. It was the winter of 1974. By the age of 23, after having spent a sabbatical in Cyprus (1989-1990) working as au pair, Anu joined the Finnish Police, getting first a Diploma in Police Studies, then a Bachelor in Police Command Examination, and a master’s degree in Social science studies from Universities in Finland. Whilst working and studying, Anu had 3 daughters, now age 30, 28 and 22. At present, while deployed as a Finnish secondee at EUPOL COPPS as Senior Police Advisor in Training, Anu is about to finish another master’s degree in security and risk management criminology at the University of Leicester, in the UK. EUPOL COPPS is not the first international mission for Anu, as she consecutively worked in international missions as of 2104. She served in Afghanistan (EU and GIZ/German cooperation), Liberia (United Nations) and Somalia (EUCAP Somalia). Asked “why” EUPOL COPPS at this stage of her personal and professional path, Anu recalls that this very Mission was the first she ever applied for in 2012. “I was the second-best candidate” says Anu, explaining that she opted for Afghanistan, to later discovered later that the selected competitor for Palestine did not go in the end. Therefore, when recently a possibility materialised to join EUPOL COPPS it felt for Anu like closing a circle, so she applied for the position she now covers, explains Anu. Another reason for joining EUPOL COPPS, continues Anu, is the fact that she is “a person constantly working on self-development and self-education, passionate about history”, always eager to see with her own eyes about the situation on the ground in Palestine, which she read about for long time. When discussing about the challenges that a woman, a mother, can face about the choice of joining a Mission, Anu says: ‘When I went to my first Mission my youngest daughter was 12. It was possible for me to go to know everything was fine at home, as I had a good agreement with her father. Anu reveals that at time she felt criticized by some of her male colleagues in the Finnish police for her choice to go leave her children to go to Missions . “The advice I would give to women willing to be deployed in Missions is to ignore other people’s opinion. Of course you change your life, so you might lose some friends because there is less time to spend together”. Anu underlines the importance of the quality of time she had and has with her daughters when serving in Missions, like going on holiday together. She also recalls hard moments as several times she fond herself under attack in Afghanistan, having to spend up to 16 hours in a bunker, with all the consequential difficulties in communication with her family. “I always called my daughters from the bunker where I sheltered with my colleagues to reassure them. I have always tried to inform them about everything because things go so fast to the news nowadays and I want them to get the first information from me instead of reading it from the internet”. Talking about her daily work at EUPOL COPPS Anu explains that she finds out about what kind of trainings are needed by the Palestinian Civil Police, focusing also on Gender mainstreaming. She tries and find out for example why women do not attend certain training activities and what should be done about it. “Nowadays Palestinians are willing to send their daughters to train as police officers, also as a source of income for the family, but at the same time there are worried about their safety”. Anu recognises that her long-term experience in many crisis areas makes her “a very different person than before”. “I see the difference between me and people that have had similar life and professional experiences and the ones back home that have not” says Anu. “For example, at home people debate about politically correct wording of things, or topics that looked at from other parts of the world frankly look irrelevant”. The woman who aged 4 knew she would wear a police uniform, concludes: “my observation is that in wealthy countries people easily see small things as a problem, unlike in places where people have worries about bringing food on the table and have to walk long hours for water or to reach the workplace”.]
Meet our Senior Police Adviser - General Policing
The Press and Public Information Office is pleased to introduce the next Advisor in our ‘Meet our Advisors’ section. Christian is a German colleague, very soft spoken and kind, and we are very much in awe of his years of experience and interesting expertise as a Police Officer. 1. Tell us a little about yourself (nationality, professional background and experience and expertise) My name is Christian, I am a police officer from Duesseldorf in Northrine-Westfalia in the western part of Germany and can look back on a 30-year career. I have spent more than ten years in various (leadership) positions in the riot police and I served several years in a permanent service unit that supported the Chief of Police in large operations. Since 2017 I have been a senior police officer and have held different positions in crime fighting/prevention, operations and project management. I introduced the distance electro impulse device, also known as Taser, in my (last) Headquarter, and developed regulations as to how to use it. 2. Explain your portfolio here at EUPOL COPPS I have been a EUPOL COPPS Mission Member since August 2023. I am a Senior Police Adviser in the area of General Policing. In this position, there is no unit that I look after exclusively. Conversely, I support my direct superior in areas where there is a need. Before the 7 October, it was the Bethlehem Project, while currently I am responsible for Crowd Management and Information Led Policing. 3. What do you enjoy most about forming part of EUPOL COPPS, and about working in the Region? Due to the current situation, it is not easy to respond to this question in the manner it deserves. From a personal perspective, I like the flexibility in my position and that I can get to know different portfolios and counterparts. The people are very friendly, hearty and hospitable. In a way, people are more relaxed and take life easier. In Germany we have so many rules and sometimes we make it difficult for ourselves. I experience that difference here in a positive way. This region is so rich in history, I am grateful to be able to work in a CSDP Mission here. I understand the Middle East conflict more and more because I live and serve here. I get my knowledge and understanding of the conflict from the different people I talk to, who tell me their experiences and impressions. And not just from the media like many others who don't have the chance to be here on the ground. Of course, the events since 7 October have been dramatic and many people are suffering. That also has an impact on my daily work and feelings. 4. What are the challenges you face, and how, in your view, may they be overcome? I think the situation was already challenging before the eruption of the current crisis, but now it has become even more so. Despite the challenges and the evolving situation, which we cannot influence, we as EUPOL COPPS have remained on the ground the whole time. We are aware of our responsibility and, even in this difficult situation, I think it is important to show the PCP and our partners that we are there. We are not leaving our counterparts alone and continue to offer our support. In particular for the day after the war. The situation is also challenging for all of us advisers. At first our families just missed us after we have been deployed. Now they are very worried about the security situation. We see our counterparts and our local colleagues suffering. Many other people are suffering. I think it's important to strengthen your own resilience. We talk a lot about the situation and I experience a high level of mutual support. Despite all the tragedy, that is the positive side. Press and Public Information Office: Christian, many thanks for granting us the interview. It is a pleasure for us to get to know you further!
Meet our Head of Security Sector Reform Section
Despite the turbulent times here in the Mission Area and beyond, EUPOL COPPS very recently welcomed our new Head of SSRS (Security Sector Reform Section). Our Finnish colleague Kai joined us from Finland. Kai has served in the region before, also within EUPOL COPPS, and as a Mission, we are very fortunate to have him back in our midst. Press and Public Information Officer spent some time with Kai to get to know him a bit better, and we would like our audience to get to know him too. Tell us a little about yourself (nationality, professional background and experience and expertise) I come from Finland. I am a serving police officer with over 33 years of professional experience of which 17 years in senior management level. My current job is in the National Police Board which is the supreme command of Finnish police. My special responsibilities are the strategic management of national K9 activities, national procurement and budgeting of protective gear and weaponry and Nordic countries uniformed policing co-operation. I’m also one of the supreme command national duty officers. My background contains experience from almost all aspects of policing: uniformed policing, criminal investigations, technical surveillance, immigration and weapons administration, all in both operational and supervisory positions. I have worked as a teacher in the Police College of Finland teaching operational leadership and management. I have also worked as a head of drug investigations department of the Finnish Customs. On an international perspective I have lived away from Finland for some time of my life. As a child I lived in Australia for five years, one year in Saudi Arabia and two years in Iraq. After that I spent one year in the USA as an exchange student. As an adult I have spent one year in South Lebanon in the UN peacekeeping mission. In 2011-2012 I was seconded to the USSC Ramallah -mission as a senior police advisor with the responsibility of assessing and validating the Intermediate Leaders Course for the PA security forces. And my latest secondment here was 2016-2017 when I was the senior police advisor for community policing. So in a way my current post as the Head of SSRS seems to be a logic continuation. My expertise is widespread and I have a good understanding on almost all aspects of policing as well as their interconnectivity and dependence. I have management and leadership skills of both police and civilian personnel. Explain your portfolio here at EUPOL COPPS My post within EUPOL COPPPS is the Head of Security Sector Reform Section (SSRS). The job description contains the leadership and management of the section as well as providing expertise in the issues needed. Within SSRS, I am very fortunate to have an excellent team of Police Advisors coming from all sectors of expertise. What do you enjoy most about working in the Region, given that this is not your first experience here? The people are very friendly and hospitable and easy to talk to. For a Finn (we are mostly regarded as mute) this is very refreshing and on the other hand also slightly intimidating! I am intrigued by the history and complexity of the region. The historical sites all around the region tell stories of different times and reigns. I see them as monuments of the rise and fall of eras. I also think that the landscape is one of the most beautiful in the world, in all of its ruggedness and with all its different features from the northern mountains to the rolling hills towards the Dead Sea, the Mediterranean seashore and deserts towards the Gulf of Aqaba. What are the challenges you anticipate facing, and how, in your view, may they be overcome? I think we are witnessing the greatest challenge in EUPOL COPPS history at the moment. The situation has dramatically and sadly taken a horrendous turn in the past days and weeks. Despite the challenges, we as a Mission continue to implement our mandate with our counterparts, notwithstanding the trying times we find ourselves in. It comes as no surprise that the focus of our counterparts is very much on the current situation. However, life needs to continue and it is clear that most of the people want stability and safety in life. I believe that EUPOL COPPS, together with our counterparts are making a grand effort in making this possible. How will this challenge be overcome is a million dollar question… I believe we need to “keep on keeping on” and try to think about the “day after”. When this is over the time will come for reconciliation and stabilisation. In my perspective we play an important role. Every individual EUPOL COPPS family member has her/his part to play in supporting the communities and people. Press and Public Information Office: Kai, thank you very much for granting us this interview! It is indeed a pleasure to welcome you back to EUPOL COPPS. Within the PPIO Team, we are proud to work alongside you and the SSRS Team, and sincerely look forward to building upon our excellent collaboration.
Meet our Senior Police Adviser -Institutional Development - Human Resources
In our interviews so far, we’ve encountered a number of EU colleagues, as well as a Turkish colleague. Nevertheless, here at EUPOL COPPS, we are also fortunate to have two Canadian colleagues forming part of our Security Sector Reform Section (formerly named the Police Advisory Section); Canada being one of the three Third Contributing Countries to EUPOL COPPS. Our dear colleague Shelly has been with us for over a year. Always ready with a helping hand, our counterparts not only benefit from Shelly’s long years of experience and expertise, but also her kind and soft spoken approach. Tell us a little about yourself (nationality, professional background and experience and expertise) Thank you for this opportunity. I have over 35 years of policing experience with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada’s National Police Service and 5 years’ experience as a Vancouver City Police Reservist. As a result, I have been afforded many opportunities that have provided me with a diverse background of experience, ranging from serving in Indigenous/Diverse communities, at Municipal, Provincial and National levels and at various ranks. This has provided me with comprehensive experience in multiple fields of expertise. I have worked at the strategic, tactical and operational levels throughout my career and have been afforded the experience to develop and work with strategic frameworks at Provincial/Federal government levels in Canada. I have a comprehensive back ground in a variety of specialties in policing: General Duty Policing, Crime Scene Analysis, Community Policing, Crime Prevention/Crime Reduction, to name a few. All from operational, tactical, philosophical and strategic perspectives; as well as extensive knowledge of Police Administration, Conduct and Human Resources practices and procedures. At a Federal level in Canada, I was seconded to the Office of the Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-status Rights (now Indigenous and Northern Affairs). I worked on and participated in the development of multi-jurisdictional social programs for Indigenous peoples at both the Federal and Provincial levels. Cultivating and fostering strategic long term partnerships was a critical component of achieving success. Prior to arriving in Mission, I was the acting Criminal Operations Officer in New Brunswick. In this role I was responsible for all operational, tactical and police operations responses in the RCMP jurisdictions of New Brunswick, including Gold Commander (Critical Incident Command) during a national incident. My substantive position was the Officer in Charge of the RCMP North-East District in New Brunswick. There, I was responsible for the operational and administrative policing functions for one third of the Province. I had a team of 181 employees. My area of responsibility consisted of 10 detachments, 5 Indigenous communities, approximately 99 communities/villages, with a land radius of approximately 20,000 square miles. I have a Masters in Consitutional Law and Certficate in Human Rights law. Explain your portfolio here at EUPOL COPPS During my nearly year and a half in Mission, I have been holding the following portfolios: Institutional Development - Human Resources In this portfolio, I have been actively working with my counterpart on the development of individual performance assessments. This project is being piloted in Jenin and Bethlehem, and will train unit leaders on supervision and performance indicaters of their team members. Accountability The project in this portfolio started with a baseline study of public complaints and was done in conjunction with my counterpart in the Grievance and Human Rights‘ Department. The project is in phase 4 of 7 phases. Field visits to police detention/holding cells have also been conducted to look at their processes. The Palestinian Police Women’s Network I was honoured to be part of the original organizing group for the conference held in May 2022, and since that time I have been the portfolio lead, assisting the 25 founding members to develop their Terms of Reference, elect their Board Members and assist with their official launch in January 2023. To date they have organized their application processes, logo and communication, whilst work is continuing on their annual plan. What are the challenges you face, and how, in your view, may they be overcome? At times I found it difficult when other international stakeholders are working on same or similar projects and there was no communication or coordination. This has been overcome by cultivating and fostering relationships/partnerships, along with increased communication. What do you enjoy most about forming part of EUPOL COPPS, and about working in the Region? I most enjoy the people here, my counterparts in the region, as well as my colleagues from around the world who join me here in the Mission. The Region is filled with so much history, that prior to arriving here, it was a bit of a mystery to me; however now seeing and hearing from the people here, as well as forging what I believe will be long lasting frienships, the history and culture have come alive for me. It truly is an honour to be here working alongside my colleagues and with our counterparts.
Meet our Planning and Policy Advisor
Seeing a colleague sporting a Turkish uniform in the corridors of an EU CSDP Mission is not an everyday sight. Nevertheless, with Turkey being one of the three Third Contributing Countries to EUPOL COPPS, we are fortunate to have our dear colleague Ozkan in our midst. Always with a ready smile, Ozkan’s friendly approach is never failing. Despite his years of experience, Ozkan’s humility makes him an asset within the Mission, and we are fortunate to call him a colleague and friend. Tell us a little about yourself (nationality, professional background and experience and expertise) My name is Ozkan Baran and I am a National Police Officer from Turkiye. My rank is 2nd Degree Police Chief Superintend or Police Colonel. I have been a member of the Police Advisory Section at EUPOL COPPS since June 2022, where I am the Police Adviser for Planning and Policy. Turkiye is one of the third contributing countries to this Mission, together with Norway and Canada. I have more than 26 years of policing experience, both at the national and international levels. I managed many administrative and judicial responsibilities back in my country. On the international scene, I have been posted within the United Nations Missions in Kosovo and in Haiti and the NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, and at the Turkish Embassy in Bangkok/Thailand. I have much experience on combating against human trafficking, drugs, illicit goods and weapons; armed robbery; counterfeit and money laundering and serious/organized/transborder crime investigations as well as planning and capacity building areas. I am currently the only Turkish Police Officer working in the mission area. I am very proud of being here in the Palestinian Territories and assisting the Palestinian Police both in their present responsibilities as well as in preparation for their future. Something that makes me very happy is the warm welcome of both our local counterparts as well as the Palestinian population, which certainly makes my work more pleasant. Explain your portfolio here at EUPOL COPPS Within the Police Advisory Section, I am the Police Adviser for Planning and Policy. Essentially, this means that my role is to assist the Palestinian Police improve the safety and security of the Palestinian population, as well as to support the Palestinian Civil Police reform and development, not least by contributing to the PCP Strategic Plan for the coming years. What are the challenges you face, and how, in your view, may they be overcome? I am very happy to be here and working with very professional Mission Members from EU Countries. Working with different colleagues hailing from varied cultural understanding and different working habits of law enforcement only serves to enrich my experience. The Mission is taking an important role to make the Palestinian Territories more stable and secure and also to improve the Institutions under Palestinian ownership. I am here to support them in assisting in the building of their institutions. Being part of this Mission is a great opportunity and I enjoy all my time working with my international colleagues and Palestinian counterparts, in addition to enjoying the close and warm relationship with the Palestinian citizens during our activities. What do you enjoy most about forming part of EUPOL COPPS, and about working in the Region? I consider myself fortunate not to face many serious challenges during the daily execution of my responsibilities. Of course, being far from home and my family sometimes causes a degree of stress, as expected. However, the plus side is that, these days, long distance communication has definitely made our lives easier. A special thanks goes to my wife for always handling all kinds of challenges back home, in my absence. I would like to end by wishing all the very best to my local counterparts and Palestinian citizens, as well as a safe and secure return back home to all my international colleagues. Press and Public Information Office: Ozkan, many thanks for taking the time to grant us this interview. Your positive approach and outlook are undoubtedly examples for all of us to follow!