Secretary-General António Guterres paid tribute to the sacrifice made by United Nations peacekeeepers in a press conference announcing his forthcoming visit to the Central African Republic.
'I thank the uniformed and civilian personnel for their contributions and the troop contributing countries for their commitment and generosity. This service too often claims the lives of those who serve. '
UN Peacekeepers serve with courage and dedication in some of the most dangerous places in the world. In the Central African Republic, where the Secretary-General António Guterres will spend United Nations Day paying tribute to the work of peacekeepers, 12 peacekeepers serving for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) have been killed from hostile acts this year alone.
Since 1948 over 3,500 peacekeepers have tragically lost their lives in the cause of peace. Since the beginning of this year, 67 peacekeepers have died in the line of duty.
In Mali alone there have been 140 deaths since the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established in 2013.
Their sacrifice on behalf of the international community are one of the most concrete expressions of the UN Charter’s determination “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”
You can find more about the nationality of fallen peacekeepers and the missions they served in the fatalities data section.
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9 October 2017: DR Congo: Two UN ‘blue helmets’ killed in attack in North Kivu
24 September 2017: The Secretary-General condemns killing of peacekeepers in Mali