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A senior Fiji military official says Fiji will continue with its peacekeeping duties with the United Nations following recent talks between representatives of the Fiji government and the UN in New York.
Colonel Aziz Mohammed, head of the military’s Legal Services department, told FijiLive a delegation from Fiji’s Defence Ministry met with UN representatives in New York on July 30 to discuss Fiji’s ongoing participation with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).
He said the UNAMI mandate which provides the framework for UN operations in Iraq is expected to be renewed in August by the United Nations Security Council.
Mohammed said Fiji as the sole troop contributing country to UNAMI, deploys some 223 troops that provide protection to UN personnel and facilities in Baghdad and Ebril.
“The UN looks forward to a closer working relationship between Fiji and UN in future peacekeeping deployments,” said Gregory Starr, the UN Under Secretary of the Department of Safety and Security, in a statement via the Fiji delegation.
Mohammed said the meeting discussed a number of issues concerning Fiji, including force protection, command and control, rules of engagement, logistics support including rotations and the supply of food items to troops in Iraq, and issues pertaining to hazard allowance for troops in the front line of UN operations.
“These issues will now be taken up in separate working groups in Baghdad and New York,” he said.
Mohammed said discussions also included a number of strategic developments on the ground in Iraq including the announced withdrawal of US forces from Iraq and implications this may have on UN operations in Iraq.
Fiji’s delegation included Ambassador Berenado Vunibobo, Fiji’s permanent representative to the UN Mason Smith, deputy permanent representative Makereta Adivuya Lasike from the Defence Ministry and two RFMF officers, Major Ned Taito and Mitieli Moce.
