Moroccan Peacekeeper Posthumously Awarded Dag Hammarskjöld Medal

29 mai 2020 Printable Version

New York (United Nations) - A Moroccan peacekeeper, who died while serving at the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), was posthumously awarded on Friday the Dag Hammarskjold medal, which is given by the UN to military personnel, police, or civilians who lose their lives while serving in a United Nations peacekeeping operation.

It is the first class soldier Saad Zghari, who died on May 31, 2019, at the age of 24 while serving as part of the MINUSCA.

During a virtual ceremony held at the UN headquarters in New York, which honored the 83 military, police and civilian peacekeepers who lost their lives in 2019, the Dag Hammarskjold medal was awarded by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the deceased Moroccan soldier.

A minute of silence in memory of all those peacekeepers that have lost their lives was observed on this occasion.

The ceremony was marked by the participation in particular of the Ambassador Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations in New York, Omar Hilale, and Colonel Mohamed El Kaissy, Military Advisor to the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom to the United Nations.

In a statement on this occasion, the UN Chief paid tribute to the 83 military, police and civilian personnel from 39 countries who lost their lives last year serving in UN peace operations.

"Now in honor of the memories of all those who have fallen in the line of duty I want to express me my deepest condolences to their families. I hope that this medal offers them a measure of comfort," he pointed out.

For his part, Ambassador Omar Hilale said, in a message broadcast during this virtual ceremony, that soldier Saad Zghari was part of the 9th Armored Squadron Group of the Royal Armed Forces, stressing that the Commander of his contingent affirmed that he will be remembered as "a brilliant soldier, disciplined, respectful and faithful to his duty to protect civilians".

"I also seize this opportunity to express our sincere condolences and compassion to the United Nations and to the governments and families of all personnel and civilians who died while serving the United Nations flag and the ideals and goals of our organization for a peaceful world," Hilale added.

Earlier in the day, and in observance of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, the UN Chief laid a wreath to pay tribute to all the UN blue helmets who have lost their lives since 1948.