The United Nations (UN) will honour two fallen Kenyan peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving in conflict missions as the world marks the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

According to a UN report obtained by Kenyans.co.ke , the Kenyan recipients are Major Paul Ndungu Njoroge, who served with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and Ms Alice Wanjiru Chege, who served in a civilian capacity with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

The two are among 68 military, police and civilian personnel who will posthumously receive the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, which is the United Nations' highest honour awarded to peacekeepers who lose their lives while serving in the line of duty.

The medals will be presented at a ceremony at the UN Headquarters, where Secretary-General António Guterres will also lay a wreath in honour of nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have died while serving under the UN flag since 1948, including 59 personnel who lost their lives last year.

📌 What You Need to Know

The recognition also highlights Kenya's long-standing contribution to international peacekeeping, with 73 Kenyan peacekeepers having lost their lives since the country began contributing personnel to UN missions in the 1980s.

Kenya is currently the 27th largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations, with 440 peacekeepers, including 72 women, serving in missions across Abyei, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India-Pakistan, Lebanon, Somalia and South Sudan.

Globally, more than 50,000 civilian, military and police personnel are deployed across 11 UN peacekeeping missions , supporting efforts to protect civilians, monitor ceasefires, facilitate humanitarian assistance and prevent conflicts from escalating.

This year's International Day of UN Peacekeepers was observed under the theme "Invest in Peace," highlighting the importance of sustained political and financial support for peacekeeping operations at a time of rising global conflicts and shrinking resources.

In his message marking the day, Guterres said, "No one should die serving the cause of peace," as he paid tribute to peacekeepers who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in conflict zones.

He added that peacekeeping remains one of the international community's most effective tools for restoring stability and protecting civilians, calling on member states to strengthen support for UN missions worldwide.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke