The United Nations' mission to save countless lives and bring peace and stability to many countries globally over the years has recorded that approximately 4,200 peacekeepers have lost their lives serving under the flag from 1948 to 2022 (74 years).
This means, that every year since its inception to date, a total of two peacekeepers are killed in a mission while trying to save lives to bring everlasting peace and stability to many countries around the world. A significant reason for world peace and stability is that in 2021 alone, a total of 135 peacekeepers were killed in the name of bringing peace to other nations, the historic highest number so far killed in a mission under the flag since 1948.
The UN set aside a day to recognize and remember all fallen peacekeepers. The Day offered a chance to pay tribute to the uniformed and civilian personnel’s invaluable contributions to the work of the organisation and to honor all those peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948 to date.
Sierra Leone President, Julius Maada Bio, attended this year’s International Day for UN Peacekeepers at the International Peace Support Training Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, to pay his tribute to fallen Kenyan military personnel that lost their lives on duty as the United Nations Peacekeepers Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), on the theme, "People. Peace. Progress." "The Power of Partnerships."
In his condolence messages to Kenyans, family members of the fallen military personnel, and the UN Peacekeepers, he prayed for Almighty Allah’s continual forgiveness and eternal peace on their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed.
On behalf of the nation of Sierra Leone, Bio expressed, "We eulogize their names with deep gratitude." We thank their families with great appreciation. We thank the nation of Kenya for offering the lives of those heroes for the sake of peace in Sierra Leone. "
The President confessed how grateful as a nation Sierra Leone is and how pleased he was to be able to travel to Kenya and formally say "thank you" to the commanders, officers, men, and women of the KENBATT contingents that were deployed to Sierra Leone for more than seven years. He cited the solidarity demonstrated in line with the broader vision of the African Union Agenda 2063, which gears towards an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, driven by its citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena.
President Bio said the world can only make great progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if multilateralism, international cooperation, and international partnerships underlie every effort. He said the contributions, voices, and views of 1.2 billion Africans must be considered in all such international dialogues in which they are pushing for the reform of the United Nations based on the African Common Position.
At the International Day for UN Peacekeepers in Kenya, the following fallen KENBATT contingent members were recognized: late Corporal Jeremiah Obuya, late Corporal Evans Kamande, late Private Robert Wanyama, and late Private Khamis Yunis. They were killed in the line of duty while serving UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone between 1999 and 2006.
A moment of dedicated silence and reflection to remember the ultimate sacrifices of fallen peacekeepers and their families all over the world was observed by mourners present. May their souls rest in peace.
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