A platoon of the National Guard of Georgia departed for their rotation in an ongoing European Union training mission in the Central African Republic today.
In a third wave of rotational deployment for platoon-sized units from Georgia, the service members received a formal send-off ceremony involving armed forces commanders and families of the troops.
Brigadier General Shalva Jabakhidze, Georgian Defence Forces Deputy Commander, was in attendance at the occasion to wish the platoon personnel a successful participation in the EUTM RCA deployment.
A young visitor of the ceremony with a National Guard service member. Photo: Ministry of Defence of Georgia press office.
Operating in Bangui, the capital of the republic, the training mission has seen successful service from Georgian troops over recent deployments.
Last month, Senior Lieutenant Aleko Pirtskhalaishvili, Deputy Commander of a National Guard of Georgia platoon and Sergeant Giorgi Tsukhishvili, an interpreter from a support group working in the mission, received awards for their participation in the mission.
They were awarded by Henri Wanzet Linguissara, Interior Minister of the Central African Republic and Eric Gerard, Ambassador of France to the CAR.
Formal occasions are organised as a send-off for units departing to training or peacekeeping missions from Georgia. Photo: Ministry of Defence of Georgia press office.
In December, Captain Asatiani of the National Guard of Georgia received the St George's Cross from Admiral António Silva Ribeiro, Chief of General Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces, for his part in the deployment.
Georgian platoons have been taking part in EUTM RCA since January 2017, taking over from a quick reaction force unit that participated in the EU External Action in the republic in March 2015.
The maiden Georgian contribution in the RCA took place starting in 2014, when service members from Georgia joined the EU Military Operation in the state.