Jordan Times
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
‘Jordanian peacekeepers earn country good reputation’
AMMAN (JT) - The number of Jordan Armed Forces (JAF)
personnel taking part in UN peacekeeping and humanitarian missions around the
world has reached 50,000, JAF said in a statement.
According to JAF, as quoted by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the Kingdom’s
participation in the international peacekeeping forces, which started in 1989,
covers several humanitarian missions that include sending field hospitals and
surgical stations to various regions of the world to aid those injured because
of wars or natural disasters.
Jordan has dispatched several field hospitals to conflict zones and areas
affected by natural disasters across the world such as Iraq, the West Bank,
Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iran, Indonesia, Congo, Liberia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sierra
Leone and Pakistan.
According to JAF statistics, the Kingdom's field hospitals extended aid to more
than one million people in Iraq, some one million in the West Bank and 55,000 in
Lebanon.
JAF field hospital in Afghanistan has since 2002 provided assistance to some
750,000 persons and has significantly reduced the suffering of people residing
in areas where the hospital operates. Some 400 medical cadres and technicians
work at this well-equipped hospital, the army said in its statement to Petra.
Sources at JAF said Jordan's participation in UN peacekeeping operations stems
from the Kingdom's belief in the important role the UN plays in spreading peace
and security around the globe.
Jordan also seeks to enhance Arab contributions in international efforts through
participation in peacekeeping to aid all victims of wars and natural disasters
regardless of their religion, race or colour, Petra said.
The news agency added that international organisations place Jordanian troops in
the list of the top favoured peacekeeping partners in the world, “thanks to the
good reputation these soldiers earned on previous missions”.
“This good reputation has caused a rising demand on Jordan to take part in
peacekeeping missions around the world" and has also propelled Jordanian
officers to take leadership positions during their missions abroad, Petra
continued.
Some of these officers led the international peacekeeping forces in Croatia in
the 1990s, while currently, a Jordanian major general is leading the
international peacekeeping forces in Ethiopia/ Eritrea.
According to the military, there are Jordanian peacekeeping forces in Asia,
Africa, Europe and Latin America. In some missions, the number of Jordanian
troops was the second largest, the sources said.
To enhance the skills and capabilities of JAF members in peacekeeping operaions,
the Jordan Armed Forces Peacekeeping Academy was created to function as a
regional training centre for Jordanian and non-Jordanian troops coming from
neighbouring countries.