The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Thomas de Maizière, Minister of the Interior of Germany.

The Secretary-General and the Interior Minister discussed the Syrian humanitarian crisis, including the dire situation of Syrian refugees. The Secretary-General thanked Germany for its humanitarian assistance to refugees and internally displaced people, and for accepting a considerable number of Syrian refugees into Germany.

Their discussion also touched on Germany’s role in UN Peacekeeping and the Secretary-General encouraged Berlin to increase its contributions. The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for Germany’s support to UN police initiatives and encouraged Germany to provide more police officers to UN operations, especially female officers.

They also discussed the situation in Afghanistan, Mali, Sudan and South Sudan.

Finally, they discussed the importance of promoting tolerance and mutual understanding among cultures and religions, in the framework of initiatives such as the Alliance of Civilizations.