Georgia continues to participate in Central African mission

Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili has issued new decree on participation of Georgian soldiers in the European Union (EU) peacekeeping mission in Central Africa and Mali.

The decree envisages sending of five military personnel to Central Africa for participation in the rapid response team, while one soldier will be sent to Mali to take part in the EU training mission.

The UN-mandated EU peacekeeping mission, commonly referred to as EUFOR RCA, is based in Bangui and the goal of the mission is to stabilise the area after more than a year of internal conflict.

Margvelashvili has submitted his order for approval to the Parliament, today.

The Defense and Security Committee of the Parliament will review the decree before it is put on the plenary session agenda.

Meanwhile, last group of Georgian military peacekeepers returned home in March after spending several months serving in the Central African Republic.

The Central African Republic Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Ambroisine Kpongo thanked Georgia for its soldiers’ participation in the peacekeeping mission in Africa.

The African diplomat said on May2, that the Georgian military peacekeepers’ contribution to providing security in the region was "highly appreciated".

She also thanked the Georgian peacekeepers for establishing a "warm and friendly relationship” with the local population.

Georgian troops are serving in EUFOR RCA mission since April 2014, while an agreement about the mission was reached in January 2014.