12:13 GMT, January 22, 2010 On 22 January, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed Finland's contribution to the stabilisation and reconstruction process of Afghanistan. Finland will strengthen its support to Afghanistan using the means of development cooperation and civilian and military crisis management. Supporting Afghanistan demands a comprehensive approach with an emphasis on building the capability of the Afghan leaders and administration to assume responsibility over the country’s development and security situation. Finland aims to allocate a larger proportion of its development cooperation funding to the northern provinces of Afghanistan. Finland’s participation in the EU police mission will be increased. The aim is to target these resources to northern Afghanistan.

Further strengthening of Finland’s participation in military crisis management is also required both because of the challenging security situation and the support offered to the development of the Afghan army and police through, for example, training and cooperation. The strength of Finnish military crisis management personnel will rise temporarily by over 50 soldiers, increasing the total strength to a maximum of 195 soldiers by the beginning of 2011. The plan is to assess Finland’s crisis management participation in the area towards the end of 2011 taking account of how the shift of responsibilities to the Afghan authorities has succeeded and participation in military crisis management developed at international level.

The meeting also discussed Finland’s participation in the planned EU operation to train Somali security forces. Finland is making preparations to enable participation in such an EU operation by deploying individual trainers for Somali soldiers. The aim is to organise the EU training outside Somalia in Uganda where Somali security forces are already being trained. The EU training operation would form a part of broad-based measures of the international community to stabilise the situation in Somalia. The EU is to decide on launching the operation by mid-February. The aim is to provide training to 2,000 Somali soldiers during the year.

Furthermore, the meeting discussed the situation in Haiti and Finland’s activities relating to the earthquake aftercare.