TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia plans to send around 400 UN peacekeepers this year. The dispatch of peacekeepers is to meet the total target of sending 4,000 Indonesian troops to conflict areas.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director General of Multilateral Cooperation, Febrian Ruddyard, efforts to maintain world peace are now rather difficult after the United States withdraws its peacekeeping forces.

At present, Indonesia is ranked 7^th contributor to the UN peacekeeping force.

"Peacekeepers from Indonesia are posted in several conflict areas and we are still lacking around 400 more," Febrian said, Wednesday, January 16.

According to the UN's record, as of 30 November 2018 Indonesia has sent 3,545 peacekeeping forces. The placement of Indonesian military personnel brings a number of benefits, such as increasing the professionalism and international network of Indonesian forces, strengthening international recognition of the ability of Indonesian forces to world peace.

The sending of UN peacekeepers is also an opportunity to increase the chances of business participation by Indonesians, so they can expand the business of goods and services procurement for various UN peace missions.

SUCI SEKARWATI