Jean-Pierre Lacroix the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Department at the United Nations has lauded Ghana for its role in maintaining international peace and security.
He stated that Ghana’s peacekeepers have an exemplary track record, and it is one of the few troop-contributing countries that has met the United Nations (UN’s) uniformed gender parity targets for troops, police and staff officers.
Mr. Lacroix said Ghana is the sixth largest contributor of UN troops and police as well as an elected member of the Security Council.
In a message read on behalf of the Secretary-General in Accra at the opening of the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference in Accra, he stated that United Nations peacekeepers have saved and improved lives in the world’s most fragile political and security situations.
Mr. Lacroix noted that peacekeepers are working in difficult and, often very dangerous, conditions to achieve extraordinary outcomes for the communities they serve.
“The contribution of the two million women and men who have served since the first peacekeeping mission was deployed in 1948 is immense.”
The Peace Operations Department Officer continued: “They have helped many countries successfully navigate the difficult path from war to peace, from Liberia and Namibia, to Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Timor Leste and many other countries. Our operations have an exceptionally strong record of preventing and reducing violence as well as preventing repeat wars from recurring.”
According to him, Peacekeeping operations also continue to preserve ceasefires, protect civilians, mediate local conflicts, and strengthen institutions, wherever and whenever possible adding “And every single day, peacekeepers protect hundreds of thousands of civilians, in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.”
“We are all exceptionally proud of peacekeepers’ personal sacrifice and achievements in extremely challenging situations and conditions.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincerest thanks to all the troop and police contributors with us today. And I would like to pay tribute to the memory of all peacekeepers who have sacrificed their lives, particularly the 311 peacekeeping personnel who died in the service of peace in Mali, including 174 who died in hostile acts.”
The ultimate objective of peacekeeping Mr. Lacroix argued is to help resolve conflict by supporting parties to secure and implement peace agreements and related political processes.
“Its success, in this regard, over its 75-year history should not be forgotten in the fog of war that continues to ravage the world’s most fragile nations and populations” he noted.
Mr. Lacroix indicated that securing sustainable peace requires the political will and active and united engagement of United Nations member states.
“At this Peacekeeping Ministerial, I look to all of you to provide a political recommitment to UN Peacekeeping We are also grateful to Member States for demonstrating their commitment to through new pledges. They will help meet current and future challenges and needs as well as new or expanded partnerships on capacity-building, training, and equipping.”
Source mypublisher24.com
