Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea is today starting an official three-day visit to Chad where 416 Irish troops are serving as part of the UN mandated EU mission (Eufor).
Mr O'Dea, who is being accompanied by Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Lieut Gen Dermot Earley, is visiting the region in advance of March 15th, the day when Eufor mandate expires.
Overall command of the EU mission will then be moved to the United Nations, and the UN force in Chad will be known as MINURCAT from this date.
The Minister will hold talks tonight in the Chadian captial N'Djamena senior UN officials and Chadian political leaders.
He will meet Lieut Gen Pat Nash, the overall operation commander, before travelling to the Irish base camp in Goz Beida - Camp Ciara - to meet some of the 416 Irish personnel serving in Chad.
Mr O'Dea will also hold talks with NGO personnel and visit a refugee camp, and tour an Irish area of operations in Goz Beida.
Almost 450,000 refugees who have fled the conflict in Darfur are living in camps along the border between Chad and Sudan. Irish troops are responsible for protecting and securing the area around these camps.
"I am very much looking forward to meeting our troops on the ground in Chad who are doing a tremendous job under extremely difficult conditions and terrain. . . . I know our troops have made a real and lasting difference on the ground over the last 12 months," Mr O'Dea said in advance of his visit.