FM Retno to Visit Indonesian Peacekeepers in Lebanon
Jakarta. Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi is scheduled to visit Indonesian peacekeepers that form part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or Unifil, an official said.
"This is part of our campaign to show our commitment to continuing our contribution and credentials as one of the contributors to United Nations peacekeeping missions," Grata Endah Wedaningtyas, director of international security and disarmament at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday (22/02).
In 2015, Indonesia adopted the 4,000 Peacekeepers Vision, a pledge to become one of the top 10 contributors to peacekeeping missions by the end of 2019.
As of Jan. 31, Indonesia ranked ninth with 2,702 peacekeepers deployed across nine missions, including the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid) and the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (Minusca).
Indonesia's largest contribution, consisting of nearly 1,300 personnel, is to Unifil.
Grata said Minister Retno hopes to learn more about the challenges Indonesian peacekeepers, known as the Garuda Contingent, are facing in their mission, whether technical or personal.
She added that the visit is part of Indonesia's commitment to peace, which has been central to its campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council for 2019-2020.
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