UN Team Impressed with Fiji Army Capabilities
AUnited Nations delegation and personnel from the US State Department here on an assessment and advisory visit were “very impressed” with the preparations the Fijian military are doing with soldiers who were to be deployed on UN missions.
Team leader, Adam Smith, from the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations, along with Shahab Uddin, from the UN Department Field Supplies, Jillian Farmer, the chief medical officer of the UN Field Supplies and Joseph Althouse of the US State Department Military Peacekeeping Centre based in Washington were at the military’s Black Rock Camp in Nadi yesterday.
Lieutenant-Colonel Pacolo Luveni, the director Peace Support Operations with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), and senior officers met the team.
The visitors were briefed on the missions currently being undertaken by the RFMF, Black Rock and how it prepared troops who were selected to be deployed on missions. They were also briefed on plans for new infrastructure at the Nadi base which is expected to cost around $32.3million.
“On behalf of the UN and my colleagues I want to say how impressed we are at the level of organisation, enthusiasm and commitment that we witnessed today. It was really a tremendous display,” Mr Smith said.
“The UN very much values the contribution by Fiji for international peace and security.
“The Department of Peacekeeping relies on countries around the world to do their part and Fiji does more, despite its size to international peace.”
Mr Smith said Fiji had pledged a number of military and Police units for UN peacekeeping so there were here to discuss with Fijian authorities on how they would use their capabilities for peacekeeping and what their plans were in providing more for peacekeeping.
“We are also here to talk to them about UN standards and their capabilities,” he said.