Prime Minister John Key today announced the rollover of the New Zealand military’s commitment to providing a provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in Afghanistan for another year.

The previous Government agreed in November 2007 to the continued deployment of the PRT for one year to 30 September 2009.

“Cabinet has decided to extend that commitment by a year to the end of September 2010 at an estimated cost of $41.553 million,” says Mr Key.

“The situation in Afghanistan requires an ongoing international programme of security and development assistance to the government of Afghanistan.

“The work of the New Zealand PRT in the Bamyan province is highly valued by the Afghanistan government and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).”

The commitment includes the following elements:

• Deployment of the PRT of up to 140 NZDF personnel in Bamyan
• Deployment of up to five NZDF personnel to various operational headquarters in Afghanistan
• One military officer to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
• Up to two medical specialists serving in the south of Afghanistan
• Up to two NZDF NCOs to work with the United Kingdom to provide training to the Afghan National Army.

NOTE: The Provincial Reconstruction Team consists of up to 140 New Zealand Defence Force personnel. NZDF personnel have had continuous involvement in Afghanistan since December 2001, with the PRT deployed in Bamyan province since 2003.