Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix thanked Liberia for its strong support to United Nations Peacekeeping and for the service and sacrifice of its military and police personnel deployed under the UN flag.
Liberia first provided peacekeepers to the United Nations in the early 1960s when it joined the UN Operation in the Congo (ONUC).
Today, Liberia provides 172 uniformed personnel, including 19 women, to UN Peacekeeping making it the 60th largest contributor among all UN Member States. This contribution includes troops, military staff officers, individual police officers and experts on mission.
Liberia’s largest deployment is with the United Nations Integrated Multidimensional Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), where 162 of its peacekeepers serve. Working in very challenging security conditions, the peacekeepers carry out patrols to assess the security situation, deter violence against local communities, and also provide security to UN facilities.
In addition, Liberia contributes personnel to the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
“Liberia is an example of the tangible impact that peacekeeping has on countries affected by conflict. For several decades, it hosted peacekeeping operations in the wake of a civil war. Today, Liberia is a country at peace, thanks to the efforts of thousands of peacekeepers from around the world. Today, Liberia, in turn, deploys ‘Blue Helmets” to help other countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace,” Mr. Lacroix explained.
Mr. Lacroix then stated, “We deeply appreciate the service and sacrifice of all the Liberian men and women who have served with the UN. We will always remember the seven Liberian peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the UN flag; as well as the 34 Liberian civilian national staff who perished while working for the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).”
Liberia also endorsed the Secretary-General’s ‘Action for Peacekeeping (A4P)’ initiative, which aims to strengthen peacekeeping through more targeted mandates, stronger and safer operations, better equipped and trained forces, and by mobilizing support for political solutions.
The UN’s Department of Global Communications, in collaboration with the Department of Peace Operations, runs the international multi-year communications campaign titled ‘UN Peacekeeping — Service and Sacrifice.’ The campaign expresses the world body’s gratitude to the countries that contribute their uniformed men and women to serve in the peacekeeping missions.
Since 1948, more than a million women and men have served as UN peacekeepers. Every day, they make a tangible difference in the lives of millions of the world’s most vulnerable people. Peacekeeping is a unique force with military and police from over 120 countries serving together, alongside civilian personnel.
UN peacekeepers come from diverse cultures and speak different languages, but share a common purpose: the protection of vulnerable communities and the provision of support to countries struggling to move from conflict to peace.
Tragically, some make the ultimate sacrifice as over 3,500 peacekeepers have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
Meanwhile, the World Bank in conjunction with the United Nations is officially celebrating the Eradication of Poverty-End Poverty Day (EPD) 2022 in Liberia.
The program takes place today, November 30, 2022 at 11:00 A.M, at the World Bank Country Office, German Embassy Compound.As part of the activities, an in-country dialogue and interactive session bringing together youth and student groups, civil society organizations including media will discuss how people are empowered to address poverty, focusing on Social Protection and Agriculture.
An economic outlook of the Liberian economy will also be highlighted.
