The Government is to undertake an evaluation of the seven Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs) across the country as it prepares to transition them into zones of peace, says National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang.

“This research will provide the Government with a robust empirical understanding of the effectiveness of the zones. It will allow us to determine what has worked, what has not and how best to scale the most effective elements across the country,” Chang, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, told the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

He explained that the research will be supported through grant funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and is expected to commence in July, beginning with a feasibility exercise.