Accra, Jan 10

 The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is deploying troops on duty in Cote d'Ivoire to help maintain peace in war-torn South Sudan, the Director for Public Affairs said Thursday.

Colonel Mbawine Atintande told Xinhua that the United Nations (UN) was embarking on a programme to rotate its troops undertaking peacekeeping missions.

As part of the programme, Col Atintande said 350 Ghanaian soldiers, currently serving in Cote d'Ivoire, whose duty term was about to come to an end would have it extended by three months.

The troops, according to him, will be deployed to South Sudan in the coming weeks to help stabilise the situation in the war- ravaged country.

Col Atintande further disclosed that an additional 850 troops from Ghana would be deployed to South Sudan to change the first batch after three months.

He expressed the commitment of the GAF towards contributing its quota to world peace.

Ghana's minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hannah Tetteh, hinted at a public forum here Monday that the West African country would be contributing troops to peacekeeping operations in South Sudan.

The move, she noted, reiterated Ghana's commitment to the maintenance of peace in Africa and the world.

The GAF has participated in peace efforts by the UN, African Union and the Economic Community of West African states.

By:IANS