US Peacekeeping Support to Indonesia, 20 Nov 2006

Peacekeeping Operations are an increasingly important way for countries to help reduce

violent conflict around the world. Indonesia’s contribution to the United Nations Force in

Lebanon (UNIFIL), supported by US air- and sealift units, demonstrates the commitment

of both countries to UN-sponsored peacekeeping. The United States, through its Global

Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), plans to offer training and equipment in peacekeeping

operations to Indonesia’s Armed Forces.

• GPOI is a five-year program launched in 2004 to increase peacekeeping

capabilities worldwide. It has three major goals: 1) train and equip 75,000 military

peace-support-operations troops by 2010; 2) arrange a transportation and logisticssupport

system to help troops deploy to peace support operations and help sustain

them in the field; and 3) increase the number of gendarme or stability police units

able to participate in peace-support operations.

• In November, Indonesia deployed a battalion of 850 troops, named Garuda XXIII,

for UNIFIL. At the request of the United Nations, the United States provided airand

sealift for the Indonesian troops.

• The United States is providing assistance with GPOI funding to support Indonesia’s

newly established center for training a permanent force of peacekeeping troops.