24 Aug 2011

PNG to join UN troops in South Sudan

6:33 pm on 24 August 2011

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force is to send soldiers as United Nations peace keepers to the Darfur region of the Republic of South Sudan.

The newspaper, The National, reports it's not clear how many soldiers will be deployed, how long they'll be there and the exact nature of their work.

In a media statement, the commander of the PNG Defence Force, Brigadier General Francis Agwi, says the army has been working with the UN on peace-keeping options, jointly with Foreign Affairs, for many months.

Brigadier Agwi says it's a landmark decision for the nation, and the PNGDF had to make a compelling case to be invited by the UN to take part.

He says the professional training his soldiers have received from New Zealand and Australia was a strong factor in the Defence Force being selected for the peace-keeping work.