By Wang Lijun and Wang Xuechao
MALI, Nov. 18 -- The 8th Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingent to Mali passed the environmental inspection on November 16th, local time.
Mamadou Kanté, an environmental expert of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), inspected the procedures of domestic water purification, garbage classification, as well as the storage and disposal of waste fuel, tires, and batteries of the Chinese barracks. "The Chinese engineer contingent's barracks have set the benchmark for peacekeeping troops. They have made unique achievements in environmental protection and barrack greening," he said.
Gao, Mali is located on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The annual mean maximum temperature on the contour is above 37 degrees Celsius. Water resources are scarce and sandstorms occur frequently.
Since their deployment, Chinese peacekeepers invented some small devices to enhance the use of precious water resources, for example, the drip irrigation equipment made of discarded beverage bottles and infusion pipes. They also collected household wastewater for reuse.
As a result of their efforts, the number of plants in the barracks, such as four-season plums, rhododendrons, and umbrella trees, has increased to more than 2,000 of 24 species. And the garden area, covered by 16 kinds of vegetables such as water spinach, cucumber and loofah, has expanded to over 550 square meters.