The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) has been contributing troops for peacekeeping duties to five mission fields overseas since 2018.
This, according to Minister for Defence, National Security and Policing, Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu in Parliament yesterday.
“We are still continuing with the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in Sinai, the United Nations Disengagement and Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights, Syria,” he said.
“The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) – the mission which is spread across Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan.”
Mr Seruiratu said Fiji had also contributed senior officers for appointments within these missions.
“In 2019, Fiji was invited to contribute a senior officer to take on the appointment of Chief Observer Group in Golan under UNTSO. This is the first time that Fiji is being offered a senior appointment in UNTSO, it was an opportune time for the RFMF to nominate a female officer in its effort to promote women in peacekeeping and the position is currently held by Colonel Silipa Druavesi Vananalagi.
In 2019, Fiji was invited to contribute a military observer to the mission in Yemen, the officer that was first deployed spent 16 months in that post due to COVID-19 restrictions as initially it was just for a one-year period.”
