Fourteen New Zealand Defence Force personnel have joined a multinational contingent in Solomon Islands to dispose of dangerous explosive remnants of war under Operation Render Safe.

The Australian Defence Force-led operation will see up to 250 personnel from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and United States in support of explosive ordnance disposal experts from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force to dispose of the munitions left from the Second World War.

The Kiwi team is made up of seven Royal New Zealand Navy and seven New Zealand Army personnel in EOD, command, medical, logistics and catering roles, supporting the largest ever land-based Operation Render Safe.

Captain S (identity withheld) is the Senior National Officer for the New Zealand contingent and an EOD operator, and says that the operation will make a real difference to the safety of communities in Solomon Islands’ Western Province. 

“More than 2600 explosive remnants of war have been removed from communities in Solomon Islands’ Western Province so far, and it has been a privilege to be a part of the multinational team dedicated to reducing this number and improving the safety of the local population.

“The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, as regional experts in explosive ordnance disposal, play a crucial role in this effort. We are proud to collaborate with them and our military partners to reduce the potential harm to communities here.”

The Kiwis arrived in Australia in mid-August to conduct Force integration training, which gives all participating nations a good understanding of how each other work, before deploying into the area of operations in Solomon Islands last week.

Reconnaissance operations to locate ERW have been underway since the end of August.

The Kiwis will return to New Zealand in mid-September.