The South Korean Department and the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation (MoU), to increase the capacity of peacekeeping forces operating under the protection of the UN in conflict areas.
At the signing, Indonesia was represented by Major General Muhammad Nur Rahmad. Meanwhile, South Korea was represented by the Director General of the Ministry of Defense’s International Policy Bureau Lee Seung-Buhm at the Ministry of Defense of South Korea in July 2023.
Collaboration to maintain world peace
This collaboration will later be aimed at Indonesian soldiers and the South Korean Air Force (ROKAF). The two countries initially were reluctant to form knowledge and experience programs, to hold courses, training and courses for soldiers.
“I am optimistic that the continuation of cooperation through the MoU on weapons of UN peacekeeping operations between the TNI and ROKAF will increasingly have an effect on the close strategic partnership of the two countries. As well as having a positive impact on each other in a mutually beneficial relationship for the two countries,” said Major General Nur Rahmad, Assistant Operation of the TNI Commander on July 30, 2023.
Nur Rahmad revealed that maintaining world peace is a shared responsibility, so there needs to be an increase in the capacity of peacekeeping forces.
“This agreement is a joint effort to overcome the escalation of conflict in the mission area towards a peaceful and conducive situation,” he said.
Currently, based on data collected by Statista, a database company, in 2022, Indonesia ranks 8th for the countries that have sent the most peacekeepers to serve under the UN flag in conflict areas with a total of 2,689 personnel. Meanwhile, the first place is occupied by Bangladesh with a total of 7,233 personnel.
So far, since 1957, Indonesian peacekeepers have been sent on UN peace missions to Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, and the African region west of the Sahara.
