9. Question No. 9—DefencePAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai) to the Minister of DefenceQuestion No. 9—Defence9. PAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai) to the Minister of Defence: What recent announcement has he made on New Zealand's deployment to Afghanistan?Hon PEENI HENARE (Minister of Defence): Tuatahi māku ka tangi atu ki ngā hōia kua riro atu ki te pō.[Firstly I would like to acknowledge those soldiers who lost their lives.]First I want to acknowledge the 10 soldiers we lost during this particular operation and say to you that yesterday the Prime Minister the Foreign Affairs Minister and I announced that New Zealand would conclude our deployment of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel to Afghanistan. The Defence Force's deployment to Afghanistan has been one of our longest in history. Ten New Zealanders tragically lost their lives in Afghanistan and more than 3500 NZDF and other agency personnel contributed. We will always remember their commitment to replace conflict with peace and the current deployment of six NZDF personnel will return to New Zealand by May of this year.Paul Eagle: What has the New Zealand Defence Force achieved within 20 years of deployment in Afghanistan? Hon PEENI HENARE: Together with our partners New Zealand has helped to establish the conditions for the current intra-Afghan peace process. We've supported regional security and helped to improve the lives of the people of Afghanistan particularly in the Bamian province. Through our most recent deployment New Zealand has contributed to training and mentoring a new generation of officers in the Afghanistan army since 2013. This has been a joint effort alongside the United Kingdom Denmark and previously Australia and Norway. The Defence Force has also contributed to women peace and security initiatives in Afghanistan. Between 2003 and 2013 the NZDF-led Provincial Reconstruction Team and the New Zealand Aid Programme - funded projects have left a lasting positive impact on the Bamian province through tangible governance development and security support.Paul Eagle: What else is the New Zealand Defence Force doing to support peace and security globally?Hon PEENI HENARE: The NZDF currently has personnel deployed in the Middle East North-east Asia and Africa supporting international peace and security initiatives. Our largest offshore commitment at present and one of New Zealand's longest lasting is to the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai Peninsula. New Zealand will continue to support regional maritime security through an ongoing commitment to the Combined Maritime Forces headquarters in Bahrain. We also have ongoing contributions to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Iraq and Kuwait and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and the Golan Heights. Closer to home New Zealanders are deployed to the multinational United Nations Command and its Military Armistice Commission in the Republic of Korea. Despite the challenges and restrictions imposed on us all by COVID we can be proud that the New Zealand Defence Force still does our part to support international peace and security.Teanau Tuiono: What actions will the Government take to fulfil New Zealand's obligations to prosecute and punish the alleged perpetrators of war crimes in Afghanistan and ensure they do not happen again when the NZDF is involved in conflict?Hon PEENI HENARE: We've made it clear off the back of the Burnham inquiry and the recommendations from that inquiry that the New Zealand Defence Force has some work to do to make sure that we are able to report and we are able to consistently maintain a high level of professionalism in dealing with casualties from conflict and in particular in this case in Afghanistan. We are on track to deliver on the recommendations on that inquiry and I'm looking forward to presenting to the House the final findings.