Tuesday, September 25, 2012
BUJUMBURA (Xinhua) -- The first batch of at least 200 Burundian police agents from various categories will be sent to Somalia in a peacekeeping mission by the end of this year, Burundian Security Minister Gabriel Nizigama told Xinhua on Monday.
"This will be the first batch of police agents to be sent to Somalia and they will be selected from the three categories of the police corps," said Burundian Public Security Minister Gabriel Nizigama.
The minister said several tests including tests in physical education and in shooting are being to select "the best candidates" to the peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
He said, "After the selection, candidates will have a specific training on peacekeeping according to the United Nations standards. "
In addition to the training, Nizigama said, candidates will need "special equipment" to carry out their mission.
"I can’t tell when they (police agents) will be sent to Somalia, but it should be by the end of this year after we will have received their equipment," said Nizigama.
Burundi is among the biggest contributors of troops in the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and has alone sent there six battalions since 2007 to restore peace and security in the Horn of Africa nation.