1 November 2011 –Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed Japan’s decision to contribute an engineering
company to the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan, saying the unit will boost the mission’s capacity
to assist the Government to build basic infrastructure and extend State authority.
The Japanese engineering company is scheduled to join the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in January,
according to a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Secretary-General.
“The Secretary-General expresses his sincere gratitude for the strong commitment shown by Japan to peacekeeping
and particularly acknowledges this contribution at a time when Japan is still recovering from the earthquake,” said
the statement.
Japan was struck by a massive quake in March that triggered a devastating tsunami, which severely damaged the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, prompting a radiation emergency.
UNMISS currently has a total of 5,600 uniformed personnel. Its authorized maximum strength is up to 7,000 military
personnel and 900 police.