In accordance with section 15 of the Burial and Cremation Act 1964 (“Act”), I hereby give the following notice.

Notice

1. I declare service:

• In the Federal Republic of Somalia as defined, from 1 January 1993 up to and including 31 March 1995; and 1 September 2011 up to and including 30 April 2016, to be operational service for the purposes of the Act.

Federal Republic of Somalia – The geographic area of Somalia includes all of the sovereign territory incorporated in the 1 July 1960 Somalia Act of Union combining the areas of the former Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland (including the area of Jubaland in southwest Somalia). The territory of Somalia is defined by the all recognised boundary agreements and arrangements with neighbouring Ethiopia, including the provisional administration line established by the 1908 Italian-Ethiopia Treaty, and the 1935 and 1955 British-Ethiopian agreements; with Djibouti, including the 1888 Anglo-French Exchange of Notes; and with Kenya including the 1933 Anglo-Italian Exchange of Notes. The geographic area of Somalia includes the maritime area extending 12nm seaward from the low water line as territorial sea under customary international law.

2. I declare that the declaration for Federal Republic of Somalia will supersede the declaration made on 4 March 2010 by Hon Judith Collins, Minister of Veterans’ Affairs for service as part of the United Nations Operations in Somalia (January 1993 to March 1995).

3. This entitles any member of the New Zealand Defence Force covered by this declaration (and their spouse, civil union partner or de facto partner) to have their remains buried in the part of any cemetery set aside by a local authority for the burial of:

• members of her Majesty’s Forces that have undertaken operational service; and
• the spouses, civil union partners, and de facto partners of members of Her Majesty’s Forces that have undertaken operational service.

4. Members of other Commonwealth Forces who have undertaken the same operational service and their spouses, civil union partners, and de facto partners may also be interred.

5. As required by the Act, consultation occurred prior to the making of this declaration.

Dated this 18th day of August 2020.

Hon RON MARK, Minister for Veterans.