MONROVIA, Montserrado – Liberia’s Defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai has disclosed that members of the Armed Forces of Liberia serving in Mali lack proper peacekeeping equipment.

Speaking on the Liberia Broadcasting System radio on Friday, Samukai noted that the platoon consisting of 46 men and women serving in the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in the north of Timbuktu are without any peacekeeping equipment as is the case with the individual troops serving the UN mission in Liberia.

While he did not specify what equipment the troops lacked, Samukai said that although the platoon is small in size, they are engaged in providing full protection for the military base in Timbuktu and also providing protecting for over 2000 people.

He added that the troops contributing to countries like Liberia and Mali needed to carry their own equipment on UN peacekeeping missions even though the AFL does not have the funding needed to equip itself as required.

Defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Brownie emphasized that he wished that the AFL had such equipment. He explained that Liberia would get the full complement of its participation in the UN Peacekeeping mission operations in Mali.

According to him, there is one thing the AFL is acquiring in Mali. And that is that the men and women will bring back home the experience in serving the UN mission.

“The professional content of the AFL operations is another thing the men and women will bring back home,” he maintained.

Samukai noted that despite all of the challenges faced by the AFL in Mali, he is very proud of the professionalism and performance of the men and women.

“There are a lot of things the AFL needs, including equipment as UNMIL prepares to drawdown in June 2016,” Brownie stressed.

However, he added that the welfare, protection, and operation of the men and women serving in the AFL should be taken into consideration.

The minister also mentioned that he has not received any complaint of misconduct about the force in Mali.

The current AFL is in the process of being reformed and retrained after years of civil conflict.

In 1960, the AFL also participated in peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah