Engineers persevere and impress

As the sole engineering company during the eight months in Sector East of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, the Chinese Engineers Company's 155 members completed more than 100 tasks, including building the mission camps, living quarters and Gao airport building.

The contingent faced the dual challenge of difficult engineering tasks and terrorist attacks.

"Unlike the other two Chinese teams, we had to leave our camps to complete some of the tasks. Sometimes, we would be in areas controlled by anti-government armed forces," says Zhang Wen-yong, an official with the engineering contingent.

"We had to ensure our own safety and complete the tasks."

The engineering contingent carried out all its duties successfully and won high praise from mission officials.

"The Chinese Engineers Company is a model for all the peacekeeping forces. It finished the most tasks with the best quality. And it is an effective work team with strict discipline," says General Jean Bosco Kazura, force commander of the UN mission.

"It made the greatest contribution" to the mission, he says.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 11/21/2014 page24)