Finland to withdraw from UN MINURCAT mission

Press release 122/2010
23 April 2010

The President of the Republic made a decision based on a government bill on 23 April to withdraw the Finnish crisis management forces from Chad and Central African Republic, where they have operated in the military component of the UN crisis management operation MINURCAT (United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad).

Finland has contributed a company of roughly 80 soldiers in the MINURCAT mission to work with the Irish battalion in the Goz Béïda region.

The decision on Finnish withdrawal is due to uncertainty of the future of the MINURCAT mission. The leaders of Chad disapprove continuing of a military crisis management operation in the country. The UN has decided to prolong the existing mandate until 15 May. In absence of adequate certainty of continuation, Finland had to make a decision on withdrawing from the operation. The decision was drafted in close cooperation with the battalion leader, Ireland. Ireland, too, is in the process of withdrawing from the mission.

The UN MINURCAT operation has been considered as a success. Finland has supported the UN efforts for continuing the mission.

Further information: Petri Kruuti, Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 40 511 0924, and Helena Partanen, Defence Counsellor, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8135 and +358 50 358 6601