Bangladesh Army chief Waker returns after 5-day visit to South Sudan, Abyei

(Photo Credit: The Financial Express — Bangladesh)

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has returned home after a five-day official visit to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

He returned to Bangladesh on Friday, the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) said in a statement.

During the visit, Waker inspected the Bangladesh Army’s Engineer Company and Infantry Battalion, as well as the Bangladesh Navy’s Force Marine Unit deployed in South Sudan, and a Bangladesh Army Infantry Battalion in Abyei.

During the inspections, he gave directions to Bangladeshi peacekeepers to maintain the highest level of vigilance and perform their duties with professionalism, discipline and dedication.

He also exchanged views with Bangladeshi staff officers, observers and contingent members deployed in the missions and was briefed on their activities and the overall situation in the missions, according to the press release.

As part of the visit, the army chief separately met and exchanged views with UNMISS Force Commander Major General Junhui Wu and UNISFA Force Commander Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha.

He also met with the mission leadership team in Abyei and national monitors from Sudan and South Sudan. During the meetings, they discussed the overall activities of the missions, the security situation and operational challenges, among other issues.

The army chief later paid a courtesy call on South Sudan’s Defence Minister Chol Thon Balok and Chief of Defence Forces General Santino Deng Wol and exchanged views with them. During the meeting, the South Sudan Defence Forces accorded the army chief a guard of honour.

ISPR expressed hope that the army chief’s visit would boost the morale of Bangladeshi peacekeepers, further strengthen Bangladesh’s mutual relations and cooperation with the countries concerned and the United Nations, and play a supportive role in expanding Bangladesh’s peacekeeping engagements.

Source: https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/home/bangladesh-army-chief-waker-returns-after-5-day-visit-to-south-sudan-abyei?amp=true