The Government has approved two-year extensions for four New Zealand Defence Force deployments to the Middle East and Africa, Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today.
“These deployments are long-standing New Zealand commitments, which reflect our ongoing interest in promoting peace and stability, and making active contributions to the maintenance of the international rules-based system,” Collins said.
New Zealand’s peacekeeping commitments have all been extended until September 2026.
These include the three-person commitment to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the 28-person contingent to the Multinational Force and Observers in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, and the eight-person contribution to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in the Middle East.
“Security and stability challenges in the Middle East and Africa can have a far-reaching impact, including on the security and prosperity of New Zealand. This is why New Zealand contributes to peacekeeping deployments to maintain stability and promote peace in the Middle East and in Africa,” said Peters.
New Zealand’s long-standing commitments to Middle East maritime security efforts, including the Combined Maritime Forces in Bahrain, will continue for a further two years until June 2026.
“This reflects the importance New Zealand places on freedom of navigation and the safety of sea trading lanes. Events impacting the free flow of trade through this region can rapidly have flow on effects for New Zealand,” said Collins.
New Zealand will undertake a six-month rotation commanding the Combined Maritime Force’s Combined Task Force 150 in early 2025. This task force is responsible for coordinating multinational activities to counter smuggling, piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. This Command Team will be supported by the deployment of an Anzac-class frigate for a two-month period.
A mine countermeasure task unit will also be deployed to United States Naval Forces Central Command for six months some time between May 2025 and June 2026, to work alongside partners to promote open sea lines of communication.
“These deployments provide significant opportunities for the New Zealand Defence Force to develop and test skills and capabilities that are vital for protecting New Zealand’s interests,” said Collins.
Propping up tin pot US/Western imperialism at the tax payers expense…..another loser government……….
Boring. Have you got a different tune to sing? Or do you really support terrorism as your rhetoric indicates?
A couple of black face guy’s in the picture above think that they will really blend in unnoticed.
BAWHAWHAWHAW…! (lol)
After all, Justin Trudeau Castro got away with it so far…
Al Jolson would be painting-up ASAP if he were alive…
OHHHHHH MAMMY!!!!
NZ needs to retreat from this mess, as it will become exponentially impossible to maintain when World War Three goes full-hot.
This is why NZ needs to become a Nation of Armed Neutrality, and the NZDF re-structured to reflect that!
NZDF Cadet Education needs to be mandatory and compliant beginning at age 16, and ending at age 18 with the Cadets serving in all three Branches of Service for a year each, and then in their final year, choose which Branch they will serve in as a Reservist / Territorial Force member!…very similar to the Swiss arrangements.