Africa-Press – Rwanda. Two Rwandan soldiers will be honoured posthumously on Thursday, May 29, as the United Nations will be marking the International Day of Peacekeepers.
During a ceremony at the UN Headquarters in New York, Sergent Major Fiston Murwanashyaka and Caporal Eliakim Niyitegeka, who both served with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), will be honoured with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal, the UN said in a statement on Tuesday.
Rwanda is the second largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, with nearly 5,900 military and police personnel, including 660 women, deployed to the UN peacekeeping operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.
During ceremonies at UN Headquarters, Secretary-General, António Guterres, will lay a wreath to honour the more than 4,400 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948, the statement read in part.
He will also preside over a ceremony in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals will be awarded posthumously to 57 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year.
The Secretary-General will also present awards to the 2024 Military Gender Advocate of the Year, Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme from Ghana and the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year award to Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone. Both of them serve with the United Nations Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA).
This year’s theme is “The Future of Peacekeeping.”
“Today, peacekeepers face increasingly complex situations in an increasingly complex world,” Guterres was quoted as saying in the statement.
“Now more than ever, the world needs the United Nations — and the United Nations needs peacekeeping that is fully equipped for today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges.
“Today, we honour their service,” Guterres stated. “We draw inspiration from their resilience, dedication and courage. And we remember all the brave women and men who made the ultimate sacrifice for peace. We will never forget them – and we will carry their work forward.”
Since 1948, more than two million UN peacekeepers have served in 71 operations around the world.
Today, some 68,000 women and men serve as military, police and civilian personnel in 11 conflict zones across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. 119 countries currently contribute uniformed personnel.
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