The UN has honored two Ethiopian peacekeepers posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal at the UN Headquarters during a ceremony to observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers and mark the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping on Thursday, 25 May.

Major Adnew Eshetu Habteseilasse, who served with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA); and Yonathan Lucas Embaye, who served in a civilian capacity with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), were honored with the medal at the ceremony, according to the UN.

Ethiopia is currently the 13th largest contributor to UN Peacekeeping with 1,470 military and police personnel serving in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the UN said.

During the formal ceremonies at United Nations Headquarters, Secretary-General, António Guterres, laid a wreath to honor the more than 4,200 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948. He also presided over a ceremony in the General Assembly Hall at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals were awarded posthumously to 103 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year.

The Secretary-General also presented the 2022 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award to Captain Cecilia Erzuah, a military officer from Ghana who served with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Created in 2016, the Award "recognizes the dedication and effort of an individual peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security".

In 2022, three Ethiopian peacekeepers who served with United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) were honored with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal. They were Cpl Solomon Ayalew Gared, Sgt Abebe Tesfaye Masiresha, and Sgt Tekelargay Tinikshu Haile.