South Africa extends peacekeeping operations in Africa
South Africa will extend its troop deployments in various peacekeeping operations in Africa for another year, government spokesman Joel Netshitenzhe said on Wednesday.
Netshitenzhe told reporters after the executive's fortnightly meeting in Cape Town, the cabinet had noted the operations made in Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan to bring peace and democracy.
To continue supporting these processes, the government agreed the deployment of 950 members of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) as part of the United Nations Operation in Burundi would be extended to March 31 next year.
It also agreed to the deployment of 46 members of the SANDF in support of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration and mediation process in Cote d'Ivoire, until the same date.
In the DRC, the existing deployment of 110 SANDF members would be extended, and 14 more members deployed also until March 31, 2007, in support of two projects for the integration and military training of the armed forces of the DRC.
The government also agreed to extend the deployment of 339 SANDF members as part of the African Union Mission in the Sudan, again until March 31, 2007.
The cabinet approved the deployment of 371 SANDF members, from March 15 to June 30, 2006, as part of the AU Military Force in the Comoros to assist in ensuring a secure environment conducive to credible, free and fair presidential elections, Netshitenzhe said.
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22 Mars 2006 à 16:36 dans
- zsandf (anglais)
