NZ doing its bit in Afghanistan - defence chief

Lieutenant-General Jerry Mateparae. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The head of the Defence Force has backed New Zealand's involvement in Afghanistan, saying the country is "doing its bit".

There are about 220 Defence Force personnel in Afghanistan including a provincial reconstruction team in Bamiyan Province and the Special Air Services (SAS) which last year returned to Afghanistan as part of an 18-month commitment, training an elite group of Afghan commandos known as the Crisis Response Unit.

Lieutenant-General Jerry Mateparae told TVNZ's Q&A New Zealand was contributing to an international effort.

"What we are doing, as we did in 1915, is doing our bit, and you know when you belong to a community you do have to muck in and help. I can see that the effort that we're putting in there is making sure that we don't have to make another effort somewhere else."

Lieutenant-General Mataparae said the mandate for New Zealand Forces to Afghanistan would finish next September while the SAS mandate was for 18 months.

He said there has been some success in Afghanistan and good progress had been made in Bamiyan.

"I certainly think that over the last eight to nine months there has been an incremental change and a positive change, in the situation, the security situation.

"What we need to see though is an improvement in the development side but also in the politicking that's going on."

- NZPA