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

KHARTOUM, Sudan, December 20, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- On December 20, the Government of Japan decided to dispatch an engineering unit of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) consisting of up to 330 personnel to the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), in addition to the two Staff Officers that are already dispatched. The engineering unit will work to improve infrastructure, including maintenance and repair of roads.

The Government of Japan will also dispatch a Staff Officer who will be in charge of planning and coordinating engineering activities to the Mission Support Division of UNMISS. Furthermore, Japan will dispatch a unit consisting of up to 40 JSDF personnel to South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya, to support the engineering unit in the areas of transportation and supply, as well as coordinate with the relevant bodies such as the UN and South Sudanese government agencies.

South Sudan now faces the critical juncture of nation-building after the long civil war between the North and South Sudan, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) implementation and the following independence. The Government of Japan recognizes that peace and stability of South Sudan is important for the peace and stability of Africa, and that support for the nation-building and stability of South Sudan is one of the significant challenges for which the international community needs to work on cooperatively.

The Government of Japan recognizes that it is meaningful to make personnel contributions to the nation-building efforts of South Sudan in the area of infrastructure, which Japan excels at, by responding to expectations from the United Nations. The Government of Japan, as a responsible member of the international community, will continue to cooperate with the international community and make proactive efforts toward the achievement of peace and stability in South Sudan.

(*The foregoing is a provisional translation. The date indicated above denotes the date of issue of the original press release in Japanese.)