The United Nations (UN) is to honour four Nigerians who lost their lives while serving as peacekeepers in Liberia and Senegal.
The honour is part of activities to celebrate the ‘International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers’ on Friday, May 29, marking the seventh successive year in which the Organization will honour more than 100 ‘blue helmets’.
Similarly, the 126 peacekeepers – military, police and civilian – who lost their lives in 2014 while serving with the UN as a result of hostile acts, accidents and diseases, will posthumously receive the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal.
The International Day was established by the General Assembly in 2002, in tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
The Assembly designated 29 May as the Day being the date in 1948 when the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), the world body’s first peacekeeping mission, began operations in Palestine.
This year’s Peacekeepers Day falls during the significant 70th anniversary of the United Nations, “offering a chance to honour the Blue Helmets’ invaluable contribution to the proud history of the Organization and to reaffirm our commitment to make them even more effective in the years ahead. Thus, the theme for this year is ‘UN at 70: Peacekeeping: Past, Present, and Future’.”
In a message to mark the Day, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “United Nations peacekeeping has given life to the UN Charter’s aim “to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security”. Through years of struggle and sacrifice, the iconic Blue Helmet has earned its place as a symbol of hope to millions of people living in war-ravaged lands.”
“At the same time, demands far outpace resources. We need better funding, training and equipment. Our troops and police must carry out ever more complex mandates while being held to the highest standards of conduct. We need developed countries to resume their historically influential role as contributors of troops. And we need stronger political support from the Member States that are responsible for authorizing, financing and contributing troops and police to the missions,” the Secretary-General further said in his message.
Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said: “We pay tribute to those courageous men and women who have lost their lives while serving on our Peacekeeping Missions. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have paid the ultimate price.
“Today, we are witnessing our largest deployment in the history of UN Peacekeeping. This is a testament of the international community’s faith in Peacekeeping as a fundamental tool in helping to peace and security”.
The 2015 commemorative ceremonies will be held at a time when the demand for United Nations peacekeepers is at an all-time high. There are now more than 125,000 UN peacekeepers, including 91,000 military personnel, 13,000 police officers as well as 17,000 international civilian and national staff serving in 16 operations on four continents.
Nigeria is the ninth largest contributor of military and police personnel to UN peacekeeping. It currently deploys 2,975 military and police personnel to the UN peacekeeping operations in Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, South Sudan, Sudan and Western Sahara.
The Nigerians are Lance Corporal Silas Danyawu and Lance Corporal John Julius from the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and Corporal Adama Ike and Sergeant Rabiatu Musa who both served with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
The commemorative activities in honour of the fallen heroes will be held at the UN’s Headquarters in New York, and at peacekeeping operations and offices around the world. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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