New York – The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has thanked Bolivia for its steadfast support of United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping efforts. In particular, Mr. Lacroix lauded Bolivia for the service and sacrifice of its military personnel deployed around the world under the UN flag. This year marks the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping, which has seen more than two million men and women serve in 71 missions to make a positive difference in the lives of those affected by conflict.
Bolivia has been a consistent contributor to UN Peacekeeping since its troops were first deployed in 1999 to the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA). Since then, the country has contributed peacekeepers to over 20 UN peace operations, with a current total of 28 uniformed personnel, including seven women, serving in five different missions. The United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC) is Bolivia’s largest contribution, with 11 women and men serving, and the country also contributes personnel to missions in Abyei, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan.
“The UN is particularly grateful for Bolivia’s decade-long contribution to the former UN mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), where more than 3,000 of its peacekeepers served between 2004 and 2015,” Mr. Lacroix stated. He added that the UN appreciates the service and sacrifice of Bolivian women and men and will never forget the sacrifice of the four Bolivian peacekeepers who have lost their lives while serving under the UN flag.
Bolivia also endorsed the Secretary-General’s ‘Action for Peacekeeping’ (A4P) initiative, which aims to strengthen peacekeeping through more targeted mandates, stronger and safer operations, better-equipped and trained forces, and mobilizing support for political solutions.
The contribution of Bolivia and other countries to UN Peacekeeping is vital to the maintenance of global peace and security. The UN will continue to work with its member states to advance peace and ensure that all people around the world can live free from fear and violence.
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