Welcome Ceremony for our Peacekeepers from the Central African Republic

Wednesday, 28.2.2018 | Multinational Operations

Late this evening, the members of the SAF sixth contingent, who were engaged in the previous six months on providing medical care for the personnel in the UN mission MINUSCA, arrived in Belgrade.

Late this evening, the members of the sixth contingent of the Serbian Armed Forces, who were engaged in the previous six months on providing medical care for the personnel in the UN mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), arrived in Belgrade.

The Serbian peacekeepers were welcomed at the “Nikola Tesla” airport by Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin, Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces General Ljubiša Diković, Head of Military Health Department Colonel Dr Uglješa Jovičić and Deputy Head of Centre for Peacekeeping Operations Colonel Nikola Dejanović.

On that occasion, Minister Vulin highlighted that in the peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic the members of the Serbian Armed forces had once again confirmed why the Serbian Armed Forces were so highly regarded worldwide.

- With their competence, their knowledge, but most of all their humane relation towards all those in need of help, the members of the armed forces have yet again confirmed why this armed force is so much loved by our people, and why it is so appreciated wherever it appears. The state of Serbia can be proud of the behaviour of its members and how they take care of its flag and its name wherever they appear and wherever they may be found. The Government of the Republic of Serbia will continue pursuing its policy of participation in peacekeeping operations because we believe that it is the way not only to demonstrate the level of our training, and competence, but to demonstrate that this country is capable of helping others when it is necessary to bring peace and ease human suffering – stressed Minister Vulin.

According to him, the members of the Serbian Armed Forces come from the people who know the troubles, who know the suffering, and maybe that is the reason why they are so loved and appreciated in difficult and dangerous parts of the planet wherever it is necessary to restore the peace and wherever it is required to demonstrate expertise but above all, to demonstrate human compassion.

- I congratulate the Commander and all the members of the sixth rotation of the peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, and I thank them for their relation and self-sacrifice that they showed, and I thank them for once again making the name of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Armed Forces so highly appreciated – Minister Vulin stated.

General Diković pointed out that the members of the Serbian Armed Forces had successfully executed another task in the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic in Role 2 hospital tasked to provide medical assistance to all the forces located in that country.

- I had an opportunity to check them on the sight, to see how and what they did and how they were organised and all who relied on our hospital were satisfied. Mission Commander highly evaluated the entire mission of ours - General Diković stressed also congratulating the Commander of the contingent and all its members.

Commander of the Serbian contingent, Colonel Jadranko Jukić while reporting to the Minister of Defence and Chief of General Staff said that the members of the sixth rotation in the MINUSCA mission successfully executed all the assigned tasks.

Speaking about the engagement of our contingent in the previous six months, Colonel Jukić stressed that the members of the Serbian Armed Forces had been highly motivated to execute all the tasks that were often numerous both by day and night.

- There were days when we even had up to three medical teams both at the airport and back, just like there were some very difficult situations, but we executed all the tasks together and upon agreement – Colonel Jukić stressed praising all the members of the sixth rotation.

In the framework of the rotation of our peacekeepers, yesterday the members of the seventh rotation of the Serbian Armed Forces departed for Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. In next six months they will be engaged in the UN mission in that African country.

Apart from the members of the Serbian Role 2 hospital, we have deployed our officers to staff duties in the MINUSCA mission as well as the officers engaged as military observers. The Serbian Role 2 hospital in the Central African Republic was deployed on 11th December 2014.