930 Zambian soldiers ready to keep peace in CAR
By Staff Reporter
A total of 930 Zambian soldiers have successfully completed a rigorous and comprehensive nine-week pre-deployment training programme, in readiness for peacekeeping in the Central African Republic.
The team that was trained at Nanking under the auspecies of the United States government, comprised personnel from all the defence forces.
Officiating at the pass out, United States Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote urged the men and women in unifrm to continue keeping the Zambian flag high.
Ambassador Foote who also recognized Zambia’s role in peacekeeping, said the US$1 million his government spent on sponsoring the programme was far less than the lives that would be protected.
“As you now prepare to deploy to CAR in the near future, keep in mind that all U.S.-supported training completed at Nanking is to prepare you to support the United Nations’ MINUSCA mandate. This includes: Protection of Civilians; Child Protection; Promotion and Protection of Human Rights; Prevention of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, and Creation of a secure environment for the immediate, full, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance,” said Ambassador Foote.
“By fulfilling this mandate, you will be able to return to Zambia—proud to have achieved an important mission in a tough environment—and equally proud to have built upon the reputation of those who served before you, and who established Zambia as a contributor of a capable, highly respected and proficient peacekeeping force. Congratulations also to the U.S. Department of Defense uniformed, civilian, and contractor trainers, together with uniformed trainers from the British Peace Support Team, and Indian Ocean-based French Defense forces fromLa Rèunion, who came together here at Nanking PMTC to usher in a new era, in which Zambian Defense Force training cadre for the first time took the lead in many of the components of ZAMBATT 4 training. The United States is proud to be a part of that effort.”
