Welcome to the United Nations

UK Minister visits Malakal as engineering task force prepares to exit South Sudan mission

The United Kingdom’s Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, has visited Malakal where she met with local authorities and toured the United Nations hospital that has been constructed by British army engineers.

The British peacekeepers have been stationed in Malakal, Bentiu and Juba since 2017 when they joined the United Nations Mission in South Sudan after a two-decade hiatus. During this deployment, the engineering taskforce has built two hospitals, upgraded local infrastructure including prisons and bridges, and constructed bases in Kodok along the West Bank of the Nile River as well as in Leer.

The Head of the UNMISS field office in the Upper Nile met with the Minister and expressed her appreciation for her country’s contribution to South Sudan.

“Your engineering taskforce troops have a unique design capability that has ensured that the mission has received high quality builds during your tenure here,” she said, adding that the contingent’s professionalism and efficiency would be missed.

Whilst presiding over the final medal parade for the troops, Anne-Marie Trevelyan appreciated the service of the 138 soldiers who received awards for their distinguished service to the peacekeeping mission.  

“As our peacekeepers return from South Sudan, a new task force is preparing to deploy to the United Nations mission in Mali, maintaining the UK’s peacekeeping contribution.”

Ms. Trevelyan added that the UK will continue to work closely with the South Sudanese Government, the UN and international partners to support the country as it confronts its security and development challenges.

The UK engineering taskforce, Operation Trenton, will complete its final tour of duty with UNMISS in March.