United Nations Angola Verification Mission III

The United Nations Angola Verification Mission III is a peacekeeping mission that began operating in Angola in February 1995 during the civil war.[1] It was established by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 976.

The Indian Army contributed to this UN mission by deploying one infantry battalion group (1000 personnel) and one Engineers company group (200 pers). There were a total of six infantry battalion groups operating in distinct regions of Angola, during this period (One each from India, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Brazil, Bangladesh and Uruguay and also one battalion from Romania). The mandate of the various Infantry Battalion groups was to ensure ceasefire between the Angolan Army and the UNITA rebels (who had control over more than half the country at that time), and then arrange for a safe "quartering" of these UNITA rebels once they laid down their arms. Subsequently, most of the arterial routes connecting major regions of the country were physically opened to traffic after demining them. The Indian Army initially sent 14 Punjab (Nabha Akal) as the infantry component and later replaced it with 16 Guards.

LOCATION Angola [2] HEADQUARTERS Luanda

DURATION: February 1995 to 30 June 1997

STRENGTH as of 30 June 1997: mission total of 4,220 military personnel, comprising 283 military observers, 3,649 troops and 288 civilian police

FATALITIES 32

FINANCING Method of financing Assessments in respect of a Special Account Actual and pro forma expenditures From inception of mission through 31 December 1996: 752,215,900 net Budget estimate from 1 July 1996 through 30 June 1997 134,980,800 net Budget estimate from 1 July 1997 through 30 June 1998 No cost estimate was prepared in the expectation that the Security Council might authorize a follow-on mission as of 1 July 1997

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND HEADS OF MISSION Alioune Blondin Beye (Mali) June 1993 to date Margaret Joan Anstee (United Kingdom) February 1992 to June 1993

UNAVEM III FORCE COMMANDERS Major-General Phillip Valerio Sibanda (Zimbabwe) October 1995 to date Major-General Chris Abutu Garuba (Nigeria) February-September 1995

CONTRIBUTORS of personnel as of June 1997 ( end of mission) Bangladesh 205 troops; 10 military observers; 23 civilian police Brazil 739 troops; 20 military observers; 14 civilian police Bulgaria 10 military observers; 16 civilian police Congo 4 military observers Egypt 1 troop; 10 military observers; 14 civilian police France 15 troops; 7 military observers Guinea-Bissau 4 military observers; 4 civilian police Hungary 10 military observers; 7 civilian police India 452 troops; 20 military observers; 11 civilian police Jordan 2 troops; 17 military observers; 21 civilian police Kenya 10 military observers Malaysia 19 military observers; 20 civilian police Mali 9 military observers; 15 civilian police Namibia 199 troops Netherlands 2 troops; 14 military observers; 10 civilian police New Zealand 9 troops; 4 military observers Nigeria 19 military observers; 21 civilian police Norway 4 military observers Pakistan 14 military observers Poland 7 civilian police Portugal 313 troops; 6 military observers; 39 civilian police Romania 327 troops Russian Federation 151 troops; 7 civilian police Senegal 10 military observers Slovak Republic 5 military observers Sweden 19 military observers; 18 civilian police Tanzania 3 civilian police Ukraine 4 troops; 5 military observers Uruguay 7 troops; 3 military observers; 15 civilian police Zambia 509 troops; 10 military observers; 15 civilian police Zambia 700 troops; 20 military observers; 22 civilian police