Kazakhstan plans to deploy up to 430 peacekeepers to the Middle East and Africa
The Kazakh Parliament, during a joint meeting of its houses on January 19, approved the deployment of up to 430 peacekeepers to participate in United Nations missions, as reported by the Mazhilis press service.
The approved deployment of up to 430 peacekeepers from Kazakhstan will involve participation in several United Nations missions. These missions include the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in Palestine-Israel, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) in Sudan.
Commencing in March, the plan involves sending 139 military personnel, along with their own military equipment, weapons, and property, as a reserve company to the UNDOF mission in the Golan Heights.
“Since 2014, 67 Kazakh officers have taken part in UN missions in Western Sahara, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, the Central African Republic and Lebanon as military observers and staff officers. Since 2018, 538 Kazakh military personnel have participated in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon mission as part of a peacekeeping unit,” said Kazakh Defense Minister Ruslan Zhaksylykov, reading out the message of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.(Source:astanatimes)
As of now, six Kazakh officers are serving in Western Sahara, two officers are stationed in the Central African Republic, two officers are deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and nine military personnel are serving in Lebanon.
“The Armed Forces are ready to provide both individual military personnel as military observers and staff officers, as well as specialized units – infantry, medical, reconnaissance, engineering, which are most in demand in UN missions,” Tokayev said.
