New York — 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", according to Mr. Lacroix.
"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)," said Mr. Lacroix.
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.
