Pakistan Army Major General Appointed UN Force Commander in Western Sahara

Major General Jawwad Ahmed Qazi of the Pakistan Army has been appointed as the new force commander for the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The announcement was made by Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the UN via a social media post on X, confirming that UN Secretary-General António Guterres made the appointment.

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UN Secretary General António Guterres has appointed Major Gen Qazi of Pakistan as the new force commander of Minurso.

Major General Qazi brings a wealth of experience to his new role, with over 35 years in leadership and operational capacities within the Pakistan Army and UN peacekeeping missions. His extensive background includes command, field, and international experience, which the Pakistan mission stated will be valuable assets to MINURSO. He has held significant leadership positions, including commanding an infantry division and serving as director general at the Ministry of Defence in Pakistan.

His prior international experience includes a tour with the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) in Croatia. Pakistan's mission highlighted the nation's pride in this appointment, emphasizing its continued commitment to supporting UN peacekeeping operations and global stability through the deployment of experienced personnel and contingents.

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With over 35 years of leadership and operational experience in the Pakistan Army and UN peacekeeping, Major Gen Qazi brings extensive command, field and international experience to the mission.

Western Sahara remains a territory with an unresolved post-colonial status, largely controlled by Morocco but claimed by the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which advocates for independence. The Polisario Front seeks self-determination for the Sahrawi people, adhering to a 1991 agreement for a UN-supervised referendum, a process Morocco has also accepted.

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Pakistan takes pride in this appointment and remains committed to supporting UN peacekeeping and international efforts for peace and stability through deployment of mission-ready contingents and leaders who have vast peacekeeping experience.