(a) Whether India has withdrawn its peace keeping force from Sierra Leone; and
(b) If so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?
(a) Whether India has withdrawn its peace keeping force from Sierra Leone; and
(b) If so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI AJIT KUMAR PANJA)
(a & b) Government conveyed its decision to the UN to withdraw the Indian contingent from UNAMSIL in a phased manner.
In taking this decision, the Government has, inter alia, taken into account the changes in the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) in ways that departed from the objectives meant to be served when the Mission was originally approved. It was also felt that an opportunity should be given to other countries who wished to take part in the peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone.