New Zealand Defence Force Personnel Deployed in a Non-Combat Training Mission to Iraq

On 24 February 2015, the Government announced that the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) will deploy to Iraq in a non-combat training mission to build the capacity of the Iraqi security forces to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Up to 143 NZDF personnel were approved by Cabinet to deploy on a training mission, with the main body of the deployment expected to deploy in May 2015. The training of Iraqi security forces at Taji will cover a broad range of individual and organisational military skills so that Iraqi security forces can eventually assume responsibility for delivering their own training programmes.

The deployment will be for a period of two years from the time of arrival in Iraq with a review by Cabinet after nine months. The total cost of the two-year Building Partner Capacity deployment is assessed at approximately $65 million.