Hello from Sarajevo,

The aim is to strengthen the police and judiciary system in the Western Balkans so that they can take effective action against human trafficking and smuggling at local level. I am proud to support one of GIZ’s largest security policy programmes in Europe. Without the rule of law, there is no basis for sustainable international cooperation.

I started my career as a police officer and spent 17 years with the German Federal Police. In 2001, I was sent to Kosovo as part of a UN mission. Working with UN police officers and colleagues from all over the world and learning about different cultures strengthened my desire to pursue international work. However, it was not easy for me to give up my secure position as a German civil servant. Still, to this day, I have not regretted taking that step for a second.

I was the first federal police officer to move to the German Federal Foreign Office and was seconded to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for ten years. First I worked in the Western Balkans, before providing advice to the Minister of the Interior in Tajikistan and supporting comprehensive police reforms. During my time at OSCE, I learned a lot about diplomacy and that sustainable advisory services and project work are crucial to successfully mainstream reforms. Alongside my work, I completed a master’s degree in risk, crisis and disaster management.

I started my career at GIZ in 2012 as a Senior Police Advisor in the GIZ office for the African Union. I was able to combine my experience as a police officer with my policy work at OSCE. After a few years in Ethiopia and South-East Asia, I have now been back in the Western Balkans for over four years.

What’s special here is that we provide advice on real cases in Sarajevo. Our colleagues work for the police and the public prosecutor’s office, for example. This close collaboration also contributes to the success of major international operations in which the Western Balkan countries are actively involved.

Our programme is very much in line with the security policy interests of the EU and Germany. It strengthens the local law enforcement and judiciary system so they are able to take action and cooperate reliably with German and European authorities.

We work closely with Interpol, EU agencies like Europol and Frontex, ministries and the German Federal Criminal Police Office. The fact that I was a police officer myself – and still am at heart – and at the same time have been working in international cooperation for a long time, increases my credibility and helps me to really understand the big picture. I would like to apply our methodology to other regions in the future. What I appreciate about GIZ is the professionalism of a German organisation combined with international assignments.

Best regards,

Oliver Janser