UN thanks SA for support in peacekeeping missions

The United Nations has thanked South Africa for its strong support to UN Peacekeeping and for the service and sacrifice of its military and police personnel deployed under the UN Flag.

The message comes as part of an international multi-year communications campaign titled UN Peacekeeping – Service and Sacrifice.

South Africa provides 1 189 uniformed personnel and is the 15th largest contributor among all UN member states and also the sixth largest contributor of women peacekeepers at 230.

In a statement, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix thanked South Africa, particularly for its contributions in the Democratic Republic of Congo through personnel deployed as part of infantry battalions, helicopter units and military medical teams, calling it essential to efforts to build peace and ensure the health and safety of fellow peacekeepers.

Pretoria also contributes police personnel to the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei and the UN Mission in South Sudan while in recent decades also contributed to various other missions.

LaCroix said they would always remember the 50 South African peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the UN Flag.