South African appointed new UN force commander in Burundi

Maj. Gen. Derrick Mgwebi has been appointed commander of the United Nations peacekeeping forces for the UN Operation in Burundi (UNOB), a UN spokesman said today.

General Mgwebi, the first South African named to lead a UN peacekeeping force, headed the African Union's (AU) mission in Burundi before it was re-hatted with the UN's Blue Helmets on 1 June, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at the daily press briefing.

The AU deployed its forces, the African Mission in Burundi (AMIB), in April of last year for an initial period of one year. The mandate was extended by two months to give the UN time to establish its own peace mission.