Japan / Dispatch of the International Peace Cooperation Corps Members to the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) Headquarters

TOKYO, Japan, November 16, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- On November 15, the Government of Japan decided to dispatch two personnel of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) as staff officers. They will work as a logistic officer and a database manager in the Headquarters of UNMISS in Juba, the capital of the South Sudan, from the end of November, 2011.

In the Republic of South Sudan which became an independent state on July 9 this year, UNMISS operates under the mandate given by the UN Security Council resolution 1996 to consolidate peace and security and to help establish the conditions for development in the country. Upon the request of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to send personnel to the mission in August, Prime Minister Mr. Yoshihiko Noda expressed Japan's commitment to prepare to dispatch the SDF personnel to the Mission Headquarters as staff officers at the meeting with the Secretary-General and in the General Debate of the UN General Assembly in September.

Recognizing that the peace and stability in the region is important for the peace and stability of Africa, the Government of Japan dispatched two SDF personnel as staff officers to the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in Khartoum and sent the Japan Referendum Observation Mission to Sudan for the Southern Sudan Referendum. Such contributions to the peace and stability in the region are highly appreciated not only by the Republic of the Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan but also by the international community.

The dispatch of two staff officers to UNMISS is our further contribution to the nation-building efforts in the Republic of South Sudan. It is expected to enhance the acknowledgement of Japan's contributions to the maintenance of international peace by the international community. The Government of Japan will continue to cooperate with the international community and make proactive efforts toward the realization of peace and stability in the Republic of South Sudan.

[Notes]

1. The Term of the Establishment of the International Peace Cooperation Corps to the Republic of South Sudan

--- From November 18, 2011 to September 30, 2012.

2. The Posts for the Japanese Staff Officers (unarmed) in UNMISS

(1) One Logistic Officer at the Logistics Planning Office, Force Headquarters, and

(2) One Database Manager in the Joint Mission Analysis Center (JMAC)