Senior NZ Army officer to lead longstanding mission in Sinai
New Zealand Army officer Brigadier Grant Motley will lead the Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai, Egypt, from November 2026, marking the fourth NZDF officer in this role since 1982.
The New Zealand Government has approved Brigadier Grant Motley’s appointment as Force Commander of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. Upon promotion to Major General, Motley will lead nearly 2,000 military and civilian personnel from 33 countries, overseeing the implementation of the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty’s security provisions.
Brigadier Motley, a New Zealand Defence Force officer with over 37 years of service, brings extensive multinational operational experience, including deployments to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, and Iraq. His prior roles include command at squadron, battalion, and formation levels, as well as defence diplomacy, intelligence, and strategic leadership positions.
The appointment underscores New Zealand’s longstanding commitment to the MFO mission, which began in 1982. Brigadier Motley will be accompanied by three additional NZDF personnel serving as Military Assistant, Aide de Camp, and Personnel Protection Officer, aligning with the current mandate of up to 28 NZDF personnel deployed to the mission.
He will assume the role on 30 November 2026, succeeding Major General Michael Garraway of Australia. The MFO’s mandate involves supervising security provisions under the 1979 Treaty of Peace between Israel and Egypt, with personnel drawn from multiple nations to maintain regional stability.