Gisborne man to keep the peace in Central Africa

Squadron Leader Karl Harvey. OH07007503.

A Gisborne airman is saying farewell to friends and family this week as he prepares to deploy to Sudan with the New Zealand Defence Force.

Squadron Leader Karl Harvey, a former Lytton High School student, will leave New Zealand on 10 March to take up a role as a United Nations Military Observer in the Central African country.

“My family in Gisborne are used to my deployments with the NZDF and are excited for me. Sudan is struggling to maintain stability at the moment so the work of observers and other personnel working within the United Nations Mission in Sudan is crucial.”
 
Squadron Leader Harvey’s duties will include travelling with UN observer teams to monitor and report the activities of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement.

This work will help the UN ensure the opposing forces adhere to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in January 2005.
 
Serving in Sudan would be unlike any other deployment he had been on, Squadron Leader Harvey said.

“The set up will be much more basic than it was during my previous deployments to Lebanon and Timor-Leste. It will be a challenge but I’m really looking forward to utilising the many skills I have learned through my career as an RNZAF officer.”

He will deploy to Sudan for approximately six months with two NZDF colleagues.