UNSG honors two Moroccan peacekeepers who died for the sake of peace

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres honored two peacekeepers from the Royal Armed Forces during the annual ceremony paying tribute to the memory of civilian and uniformed personnel who died in UN peacekeeping operations in 2023.

The ceremony coincided with the commemoration on May 29 of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, an occasion to honor the remarkable men and women who have served in UN peacekeeping missions. This special day pays tribute to their dedication, professionalism, and bravery, while also remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of peace.

During the ceremony, the UN Chief awarded posthumously The Dag Hammarskjold Medal to Master Corporal Hafid Nachit and Private First Class Driss Hajjaj, both of whom died on October 2, 2023, while fulfilling their noble mission of maintaining peace within the contingent of the Royal Armed Forces deployed to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

On the occasion of this ceremony, the international community paid tribute to more than 4,300 men and women peacekeepers, who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of peace since 1948, including 61 during 2023.

In his speech, Guterres stressed that “the memory of the fallen peacekeepers is a reminder of the tragic human cost of conflict,” and that as the world lives in difficult and dangerous times, the role of peacekeepers is more indispensable than ever. “They show us what peace looks like: protecting the most vulnerable, preserving fragile ceasefires, defusing local conflicts, eliminating mines and explosive remnants of war, strengthening local institutions and democratic systems on which depend peace and development and implementing prevention, as we committed to in the New Agenda for Peace”.

In a videoed message projected during this ceremony, the Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Omar Hilale, presented his most sincere condolences and prayers to the bereaved families of the honorable peacekeepers and to the great family of United Nations peacekeeping.

Paying tribute to the invaluable work of peacekeepers who lost their lives defending the noble cause of peace and security, as well as the principles and values shared within the United Nations, Hilale said “we aspire to continue our efforts every day to build a world of hope and peace for all.”

With 1,714 peacekeepers deployed in UN missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), Morocco is currently the 8th contributor of troops to United Nations peacekeeping operations.

The 76th anniversary of the UN peacekeeping mission was commemorated under the theme: “Fit for the Future, Building Better Together,” which embodies the supreme commitment to progress and collaboration for a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
In his Address, the United Nations chief has hailed the efforts of the about 76,000 UN peacekeepers who take a great personal risk to maintain peace in strife-torn areas across the world, including many of them in conflict zones around the African continent.