NPMEC requests Oz training for women peacekeepers
THE National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces (NPMEC) has requested that the Australian government provide capacity building training to Cambodian women soldiers to participate in peacekeeping missions in countries around the world.
The request was made during a meeting between NPMEC director-general Sem Sovanny and Christine Clarke, Australian goodwill ambassador for women and girls, on December 12.
Sovanny stated that Cambodian women soldiers have played an important role in cooperation both inside and outside the country as well as in mission areas under the auspices of the UN peacekeeping forces, and that female soldiers can resolve all major tasks or disputes peacefully as well as men.
He added that Clarke’s presence at the meeting will help enhance gender capacity in the field of peacekeeping to become stronger in the future.
“[Sovanny] also urged additional training for female soldiers, especially capacity building courses on various skills to participate in the peacekeeping missions in countries around the world. He also requested future cooperation between the UN, Australia and Cambodia,” NPMEC said in a social media post on December 12.
According to NPMEC, Clarke is keen to cooperate to promote gender parity in Cambodia in the future and is “extremely proud” that Australia had sent more than 1,200 peacekeepers to Cambodia to help bring peace to the Kingdom in the past.
She also praised Cambodia for transforming from a country that used to need the help of UN peacekeeping forces to one that provides troops to nine war-torn nations.
Currently, Cambodian “blue helmet” forces are conducting peacekeeping missions in four countries: South Sudan, Lebanon, Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR).
On December 9, NPMEC closed the fifth ASEAN-Regional Mine Action meeting and Mine Action Management Technical Training Course after three weeks of training and events, which was attended by military forces from nine countries. France provided funding and sent military personnel, along with Australian military personnel, to support and provide training during the course.
On December 8, two teams of Cambodian peacekeepers from the Airport
Engineering and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units returned to the Kingdom after completing humanitarian peacekeeping missions under the UN umbrella in Mali.
According to the NPMEC, Cambodian units have set up three bases in three cities in Mali, with 144 soldiers, including 11 women, who are on a mission to clear mines, destroy unexploded ordnance and safely detonate explosives and improvised explosive devices.
NPMEC also said that the airport engineering unit set up bases in two other cities with a force of 154 people, including 15 women, who were in charge of airport maintenance and construction work on runways and landing pads for use by UN peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.