The UN Peace Medal was awarded to some 86 police officers who have accomplished six months service with the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) during a ceremony held in Abidjan on Wednesday, 27 April 2016.

The recipients who came from Argentine, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroun, France, Jordan, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine, Vanuatu and Yemen, were being decorated, according to UN Mission’s hierarchy, for having taken part in the remarkable implementation of UNOCI’s mandate while showing devotion, honour and loyalty in the execution of their tasks.

The Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire and United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, M’Baye Babacar Cissé, accompanied by the UNPOL Commissioner Vianney Nshimiyimana, congratulated the medal recipients on their achievement. « The awarding of the UN Peace Medal is not only in recognition of the support you have given to UNOCI but also a homage to your dedication to the whole of the United Nations. The tasks that you have accomplished and that you continue to accomplish will contribute without any doubt to the consolidation of peace and the strengthening of social cohesion in Côte d’ivoire », he told the police officers. Mr. Cissé then urged them to continue with to work to overcome the challenges of consolidating peace, promoting social cohesion and national reconciliation.

Speaking on behalf of the UN Medal recipients, Monique Nama, paid tribute to police officers who have died in the line of duty and recalled that they had all been keen to accomplish their work correctly. « The results so far have been encouraging and we are appealing for more sacrifices to be made in order to consolidate peace, promote social cohesion and national reconciliation », she said, adding that receiving the Medal will encourage recipients to redouble their efforts.

The ceremony was attended by the Ambassadors of Senegal, Ukraine and Burkina Faso.

The United Nations Police deployed in Côte d’Ivoire consists of 355 police officers and 687 elements of the Formed Police Unit from 21 countries.