At the end of six months of their mission with the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), during which they have shown commitment and devotion and made a lot of sacrifices, 754 peacekeepers serving with the 20th Moroccan Contingent were decorated with the United Nations Medal on Thursday, 20 November 2014.



The medal parade ceremony took place in Duékoué, situated at 484 kilometres west of Abidjan, in the presence of UNOCI Force Commander, General Hafiz Masoor Ahmed and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco in Côte d'Ivoire, his excellency Mustapha Jebbari, as well as Ivorian officials, including traditional chiefs and religious leaders.



Speaking during the ceremony, the Commander of the 20th Contingent, Colonel Fouad Akki, highlighted the qualities shown by the medal recipients during their mission in the Guémon region in May 2014. Colonel Fouad said that the peacekeepers of the 20th Contingent had shown commitment both in their operational duties and their humanitarian endeavours, in collaboration with UNOCI's civilian, military and humanitarian components, in an effort to strengthen security and protection of Ivorians.

UNOCI Force Commander, for his part, stressed the professionalism and sense of duty of the Moroccan contingents which have served in Côte d'Ivoire since 2004. With regard to the medal recipients, General Hafiz said that they had shown that Moroccan soldiers had an aptitude to adapt to all kinds of situation whatever the difficulties. He said they did so with devotion and abnegation in accordance with the United Nations ideals of peace and tolerance.

« Operating in one of the most unstable areas in Côte d'Ivoire, which has been plagued by violence, the 20th Moroccan Contingent has shown its total commitment in preserving UNOCI's achievements in this region in terms of security, humanitarian support and the promotion of human values and the protection of people, » said the Force Commander. He also urged the medal recipients to be vigilant until they hand over to the next contingent.



The ceremony ended with a medal parade.