01/03/1993 15:00
01/04/1994 15:00
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Start of Mission:
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End of Mission:
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Status:
Concluded
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Place:
Mozambique
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Geographic area:
Africa
Contenuto pagina
The Peace Agreements, signed in Rome on 4th October 1992 between the Mozambique Government and the RENAMO (Mozambique National Resistance), ratified that the United Nations had the task of supervising and controlling the implementation of the treaty clauses. On 16th December the Security Council authorized the Operation ONUMOZ (United Nations Operations in Mozambique) aiming to facilitate the peace process. In particular the military component of the Mission was commissioned to monitor and verify the cease-fire, the separation and the concentration of the opposing forces, their demobilization, the collection, the storage and the destruction of the weapons. Moreover the component had to retreat completely outside the borders of the foreign military forces, demobilize the irregular military groups, implement security measures in favor of infrastructures and essential services, provide security to the activities of the UN and the other international organization, supporting the peace process (especially along the area that linked the sea to the Country border).Italy contributed to the Mission until April 1994 with a Contingent of 1.030 soldiers, first provided by the Brigade "Taurinense" and then by the Brigade "Julia". The Regiment was composed by an Alpine infantry battalion, a logistic battalion, a group of squadrons of the Army Air Force and a Health Unit; it was deployed in March 1993 and at the beginning of April it took on the operational responsibility of the Beira Corridor. Considering the importance of the Corridor, that was the main connection between Zimbabwe and the sea, as well as the operational and logistic efficiency of the Unit, the Italian Contingent became the "reference force" in the logistic and health support to the UN Forces in the region. Since 2nd May 1994, when the retreat of the majority of the units, the Contingent (with 230 soldiers and composed by the Health Unit and the support Unit) was named "Albatross 2"; it was then redeployed in Beira to continue and ensure the health support to the UN personnel that operated in the Central Region and to the local populations.