Georgian Defence Forces chief awarded Medal of Commander by France
Lieutenant General Vladimer Chachibaia was appointed as the head of Georgia’s Defence Forces last year. Pfoto: Defence Ministry press office.
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Head of Georgia’s Defence Forces Vladimer Chachibaia has been awarded Medal of Commander of the Legion of Honor of France for his “firm support for Georgian-French friendship and cooperation,” the Georgian Defence Ministry has reported.
The Legion of Honor is the highest French order for civil and military merits and is divided into five degrees: knight, officer, commander, grand officer and grand cross.
The medal was handed to Chachibaia by French Ambassador to Georgia Diego Colas.
Chachibaia has been handed the medal by the French ambassador to Georgia. Photo: Defence Ministry press office.
Colas thanked Chachibaia for strengthening French-Georgian cooperation in the defence field and praised Georgia’s involvement in the EU peace mission in Central Africa with French peacekeepers.
Chachibaia, a former chief of the General Staff of Georgian Armed Forces (GAF), commanded Georgian peacekeepers in Iraq in 2004 and since 2005 has served in the GAF.
He also provided advising services to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in 2015-2016.
Georgia has hosted the first trilateral meeting of the Georgia-Turkey-Azerbaijan heads of the general staff of the ministries of defence of these countries.
Colonel Irakli Chumburidze, who has served in international peacekeeping missions, fought for Georgia’s territorial integrity and chaired J-2 Intelligence Department of the General Staff of Georgia, has been appointed as the new head of the country’s National Guard.
Today President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili appointed Brigadier General Vladimer Chachibaia as the new Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces, replacing Major General Vakhtang Kapanadze in the role.
First Deputy of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) Brigade General Vladimir Chachibaia has been offered the role of High Military Adviser of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).