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Military Aid: Belize

Answer

Substantial British support has been provided to the Belizean Defence Force (BDF) since Belize's independence in 1981.The British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB), formed in 1994, co-ordinated joint training activities and military co-operation initiatives but details of these for the last 20 years are not recorded.Examples of joint manoeuvres and military cooperation in the last three years, and activities which we expect to continue, include:"The BDF has provided an opposing force for numerous exercises, in particular for six battlegroup size exercises;""BDF personnel have participated on three six-week jungle courses;""The UK Civil Military Cooperation group has provided comprehensive disaster relief training for the BDF during an exercise in 2006;""The BDF provide opposing forces for The Infantry Battle School (IBS) final exercises and the IBS reciprocates by providing one free place for a BDF junior officer on each of its three platoon commanders battle courses in the UK;""British helicopter support is provided free to the government of Belize and the BDF for approx 10 hours per month. Furthermore, emergency Forward Aero Medical Evacuation to hospital is provided by BATSUB for BDF soldiers if injured;""Where the BDF lacks the equipment or resources to repair facilities if BATSUB has the expertise or the equipment to assist it will. Occasionally it is deemed appropriate to fund repairs if there is joint utility for BATSUB. A recent example is the replacement of a failed lighting system in the BDF's ammunition compound;""Where British Army equipment becomes beyond economical repair authority is sought from the MOD UK to gift the equipment to the BDF. A recent example is 30 x 4 ton Bedford trucks;""Joint civic events are held throughout the year, e.g. Remembrance Day parades, a military and police tattoo and a BDF open day;""In 2008 the government of Belize authorised a British recruiting team to spend a month in Belize testing and evaluating over 700 Belizean applicants for the British Army in UK. Approx 130 were successful and some are already undergoing training in the UK."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

487 c309-10W; 250737

Session

2008-09

Subjects

Belize Military aid

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk