SUVA, June 4 ((Xinhua) -- Fiji's participation in the United Nations peacekeeping missions has played an important role in strengthening her relations with other countries in the past 40 years, said a Fijian government official on Monday.
Speaking at a media briefing, Fiji's Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence and National Security Osea Cawaru said that Fiji has also secured technical and development corporation through the peacekeeping, improving the island nation's profile significantly.
"Our global profile has significantly improved as a result of our commitment to peacekeeping, our chairmanship and participation in various United Nations and international programs would have attributed to the ultimate sacrifice that our men and women in uniform have made in the service of global peace," he said.
Fiji's first batch of peacekeepers were sent to Lebanon in 1978. Fiji has served in peacekeeping missions in Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Solomon Islands, among others.
