NATO extends mission in Afghanistan: Georgia stays in
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Georgia will continue to participate in a NATO mission in Afghanistan, as the Alliance has decided to extend its Resolute Support Mission beyond 2016.
At the NATO Summit in the Polish capital Warsaw today, leaders from the Resolute Support partner countries agreed to continue funding Afghan security forces through to 2020.
#Afghanistan doesn't stand alone, NATO committed for long haul https://t.co/tLPbRZmwOz@ResoluteSupport#NATOSummitpic.twitter.com/FmGV2DnaIk
— NATO (@NATO) July 9, 2016
Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili said Georgia would continue to serve in the mission and the country would contribute the same number of troops to the mission it currently offered.
Margvelashvili added his country would remain in Afghanistan "as long as the Resolute Support Mission lasted".
Georgia’s President was one of several international leaders to speak about the mission at the Warsaw Summit. He said despite the country’s territories being occupied, Georgia would continue to send its soldiers to Afghanistan to contribute to the peace mission.
Margvelashvili also reconfirmed Georgia’s aspirations to become a NATO member.
Georgia's President Giorgi Margvelashvili and European Council President Donald Tusk (second left) talk at the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland. Photo by the Georgian President's press office.
Before this mission Georgia contributed to the NATO-led International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) operation in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2014. Georgia's efforts were significant - Georgia was the largest troop contributor among non-NATO states.
After this Georgia continued to serve in other NATO-led operations in Afghanistan and since 2015 the country has participated in the Resolute Support Mission, where it was the second largest troop contributor state after the US.
Allies vow more support for Georgia
This evening the first North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)-Georgia Commission meeting was held during the Alliance’s Warsaw Summit, where allied foreign ministers recognised Georgia’s vast progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration and promised more support to boost the country’s self-defence capabilities.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Georgia's President Giorgi Margvelashvili at a face-to-face meeting at NATO’s 28th Warsaw Summit today for talks on the Alliance’s further partnership with Georgia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will visit Georgia this autumn. Today at the Warsaw Summit NATO leaders agreed a set of decisions to project stability beyond the Alliance’s borders.
NATO: "We welcome the significant progress realised since 2008. Georgia’s relationship with the Alliance contains all the practical tools to prepare for eventual membership."
President of the United States Barack Obama says NATO will do more to help Georgia strengthen its defence capacity. Obama spoke at a press conference after day one of the NATO Warsaw Summit.
Another unit of the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) has successfully ended a seven month deployment within a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.
“We’re champions in fighting for world peace”
Georgia’s newly appointed Minister of Defence Levan Izoria has travelled to Afghanistan for his first official international trip to meet local officials and visit Georgian soldiers who are on a peacekeeping and security mission serving alongside NATO and EU troops.
Georgia is celebrating the first ever Georgian Peacekeeper Day that honours troops serving in their homeland and in international missions, and to recognise and highlight Georgia’s role as a contributor to world peace.
Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is preparing to welcome the North Atlantic Council chaired by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg this afternoon. The NATO top official will chair a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission.
Georgia’s Defencxe Ministry has reported that three Georgian soldiers have received light wounds when patrolling the perimeter near the Bagram airfield in Afghanistan.