News / National
Zim soldiers and police to be deployed in Syria
25 May 2012 at 04:39hrs | Views
Zimbabwe will soon deploy peacekeeping forces in Syria following a request by the United Nations Security Council, Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa said yesterday. Syria has been dogged by a year long civil war pitting incumbent President Bashar al Assad's army and Western sponsored insurgents.
Speaking at the launch of the 2012 Edition of the United Nations Peace-Keepers' Day in Harare, Minister Mnangagwa said the UN Security Council requested Zimbabwe to deploy its forces in Damascus last month.
"The request has come in two ways. Firstly the UN requested us to shift our officers deployed in other countries to Syria.
"The second request was for us to send another team to Syria, which we have already approved," he said.
Minister Mnangagwa said the fact that Zimbabwe continued to receive invitations for personnel to participate in UN peacekeeping and enforcing missions was a reflection of faith the world body had in the country's security institutions.
He said Zimbabwe will continue to honour such requests to maintain world peace.
"As such, on behalf of the people and Government of Zimbabwe I would like to reiterate that the country will continue to contribute to world peace and security by continuing to honour requests for peacekeeping personnel by the world body," he said.
Minister Mnangagwa said peacekeepers played a vital role in maintaining world peace.
He, however, said peacekeeping duties come with a number of risks that even included death.
"It is imperative for us to remember that peacekeepers are deployed in volatile environments where they encounter numerous challenges and some of them even lose their lives or get injured as a result of violence, accidents and diseases.
"To date about 2 980 military, police and civilian personnel have lost their lives while in service on the UN peacekeeping missions," said Minister Mnangagwa.
He said Zimbabwe had participated in numerous peacekeeping missions since 1991 when it was requested by the UN to contribute troops to the peacekeeping mission in Angola.
Minister Mnangagwa said the country was also requested to contribute troops in Somalia, Darfur in Sudan and Liberia among other peacekeeping missions.
Minister Mnangagwa said the main event to mark the UN peacekeepers commemorations will he hosted by Masvingo province on May 29.
He said the uniformed forces will conduct peacekeeping lectures in secondary schools from May 28 to June 01.
The minister said there will also be a march in Masvingo town by the uniformed forces as part of the commemorations.
This year's 64th edition of the UN Peacekeepers Day will be commemorated under the theme "Peacekeeping a Global Partnership."
Minister Mnangagwa said the theme sought to highlight and appreciate that there were many global partnerships at the centre of UN peacekeeping.
Speaking at the launch of the 2012 Edition of the United Nations Peace-Keepers' Day in Harare, Minister Mnangagwa said the UN Security Council requested Zimbabwe to deploy its forces in Damascus last month.
"The request has come in two ways. Firstly the UN requested us to shift our officers deployed in other countries to Syria.
"The second request was for us to send another team to Syria, which we have already approved," he said.
Minister Mnangagwa said the fact that Zimbabwe continued to receive invitations for personnel to participate in UN peacekeeping and enforcing missions was a reflection of faith the world body had in the country's security institutions.
He said Zimbabwe will continue to honour such requests to maintain world peace.
"As such, on behalf of the people and Government of Zimbabwe I would like to reiterate that the country will continue to contribute to world peace and security by continuing to honour requests for peacekeeping personnel by the world body," he said.
Minister Mnangagwa said peacekeepers played a vital role in maintaining world peace.
He, however, said peacekeeping duties come with a number of risks that even included death.
"It is imperative for us to remember that peacekeepers are deployed in volatile environments where they encounter numerous challenges and some of them even lose their lives or get injured as a result of violence, accidents and diseases.
"To date about 2 980 military, police and civilian personnel have lost their lives while in service on the UN peacekeeping missions," said Minister Mnangagwa.
He said Zimbabwe had participated in numerous peacekeeping missions since 1991 when it was requested by the UN to contribute troops to the peacekeeping mission in Angola.
Minister Mnangagwa said the country was also requested to contribute troops in Somalia, Darfur in Sudan and Liberia among other peacekeeping missions.
Minister Mnangagwa said the main event to mark the UN peacekeepers commemorations will he hosted by Masvingo province on May 29.
He said the uniformed forces will conduct peacekeeping lectures in secondary schools from May 28 to June 01.
The minister said there will also be a march in Masvingo town by the uniformed forces as part of the commemorations.
This year's 64th edition of the UN Peacekeepers Day will be commemorated under the theme "Peacekeeping a Global Partnership."
Minister Mnangagwa said the theme sought to highlight and appreciate that there were many global partnerships at the centre of UN peacekeeping.
Source - herald
