Press Releases

Support for the UN Project for African Rapid Deployment of Engineering Capabilities The Initiation of he Fifth Training

May 25, 2018

1. Japan will dispatch 20 personnel from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and 1 Program Liaison and Coordination Officer from Cabinet Office to the fifth training session under the UN Project for African Rapid Deployment of Engineering Capabilities, which is implemented by the UN Department of Field Support. The training which will take place in Kenya from June 4th aims to instruct engineering personnel from the Defense Force of Republic of Ghana, Republic of Sierra Leone, and Federal Republic of Nigeria on the operation of heavy equipment.

2. Japan has earned solid credibility for its engineering and transport units, which are indispensable for enabling smooth operations of PKOs. To support the rapid deployment of PKOs and bring about high quality operations, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed a commitment to contribute to the rapid deployment of these equipment and personnel with engineering capabilities at the 1st Leader’s Summit on Peacekeeping held at the UN Headquarters in September 2014.

3. Following Prime Minister Abe’s commitment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense together with other relevant Ministry support this project by providing approx. 40 million US dollars to the UN for the training and procurement of heavy equipment and dispatching 83 JSDF instructors to 5 trainings, subsequent to the trial training held in 2015.

【Reference】Outline of the training

    Period of training : June 4th – August 24th, 2018
    Location of training : Nairobi (Kenya International Peace Support Training Centre)
    Instructors : 21 personnel led by LTC Shigeki Matsui
    Contents of the training : Instructing engineering personnel from the Defense Force of Republic of Ghana, Republic of Sierra Leone, and Federal Republic of Nigeria on the operation and maintenance of heavy equipment required for engineering activities.

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