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UN hails Ghana’s peace operations role

pThe Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), Ms Leila Zerrougui, has commended Ghana’s commitment to global peace and security.

She made the commendation during the UN medals presentation ceremony organised in honour of troops from Ghana serving with MONUSCO, at the Battalion Headquarters in Kinshasa, a press statement issued by MONUSCO and copied the Ghanaian Times, said.

Ms Zerrougui presented peace medals on behalf of the UN Secretary General to officers, men and women of the Ghana Battalion at a colourful ceremony attended by the diplomatic corps, senior staff of MONUSCO and representatives of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Battalion is under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Baba Pantoah.  

Paying tribute to Ghana, Ms Zerrougui emphasised that, “Ghana has never turned her back to the United Nations for the contribution of troops to participate in peace operations since 1960s, when the first UN peacekeepers from Ghana were deployed in then Congo (now DRC) for peace operations in Africa.” 

She mentioned the contribution and sacrifices made by troops of Ghana contingents which provided security and peace in the DRC over the years under MONUSCO.

Ms Zerrougui hailed the Ghana Battalion for establishing Standing Combat Deployments in Kitwit (Kwilu Province) and Yumbi (Mai-Ndombe Province) during the electoral period, to ensure UN human rights assessment teams carried out critical tasks related to investigating and verifying possible human rights violations before, during and after the general elections in the areas concerned.

She also reiterated that the Ghana Battalion was the first unit to establish a Female Engagement Team (FET) within its area of operations as prescribed by the MONUSCO mandate and in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

She acknowledged the deployment of female soldiers by Ghana in combat roles for Long-Range Patrols, and also for engaging in critical civil-military cooperation activities aimed at supporting local people.

GHANBATT through the professionalism of the troops and deep appreciation of the conflict situation in the DRC, assisted to successfully oversee the general elections of the DRC, thus fulfilling an important aspect of the MONUSCO mandate under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2409 (2018).

The ceremony was graced by Ghana’s Ambassador to the DRC, Joseph Kwaku Antwi, the MONUSCO Police Commissioner, General Awale Cheik Abdounasir; the Deputy Force Commander, Major General Bernard Commins, and Commander Western Sector and Contingent Commander of Ghana, Brigadier General Emmanuel Kotia. Ambassadors of Switzerland, United Kingdom, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, La Cote d’Ivore and Tanzania were present.

The Ghanaian community in Kinshasa and friends of GHANBATT were also in attendance.

By Times Reporter

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