March 19, 2018, Ottawa, ON — National Defence / Global Affairs Canada

Canada is committed to building a more peaceful and prosperous world. Ensuring the safety and security of our citizens – and those of our allies – means working to confront instability and conflict around the world. Canada’s support for United Nations peacekeeping will help vulnerable and marginalized communities build a better future for themselves.

Last November, in Vancouver, the Government of Canada announced its return to peace operations, including:

the Vancouver Principles – focused on ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers around the world;

the Elsie Initiative – a pilot project aimed at rapidly increasing the number of women police and military deployed on UN peace operations, supported by the expertise and political commitment of a group of countries who share Canada’s ambition for change; and

a range of Smart Pledges and military capabilities – aimed at leveraging Canadian expertise. The first smart pledge – a C-130 Hercules aircraft to provide tactical airlift support for the UN’s Regional Support Centre in Entebbe Uganda – was announced in Vancouver and preparations for deployment are currently underway.

As part of Canada’s return to peace operations, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced the Government of Canada’s second smart pledge: a commitment to deploy an Aviation Task Force to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for a period of 12 months.

The Aviation Task Force will include Chinook helicopters to provide urgently needed transport and logistics capacity for the MINUSMA mission, as well as Griffon helicopters to provide armed escort and protection. The Task Force will be accompanied by a number of Canadian Armed Forces personnel for support. Canada remains committed to advancing gender equality in its deployment.

Canada’s contribution will join 57 MINUSMA partner countries in their continued efforts to bring sustainable peace and stability to Mali and the Sahel. Today’s announcement builds on the Government’s significant development, peace and security initiatives in the region.

In the coming days, the Government will register its pledge with the UN, and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will begin their planning process, in conjunction with the UN, partners and the host nation.