Ghana marks ­76th Peacekeepers Day with a solemn ceremony honouring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Ghana has long been a reliable contributor to peacekeeping missions around the world and currently stands as the seventh largest contributing country to UN peacekeeping.

As the world commemorates the 76th International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, marked by the theme "Fit for the Future: Building Better Together," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, with support from the United Nations in Ghana, hosted a national event honouring the service and sacrifice of uniformed and civilian peacekeepers. The ceremony paid solemn tribute to five Ghanaians who lost their lives serving under the blue helmet in the past year.  They are Staff Sergeant Mensah Alex Ameyaw and Warrant Officer Class 2 Ibrahim Abubakari of UNIFIL. The rest are Lance Corporal Emmanuel Adjei Nii Addo of UNESFA, Mr. Michael Sowah of UNMISS and Mr. Jeduah Mahama Abudu of UNSOM.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Mr. Charles Abani, emphasized Ghana's significant contributions to peacekeeping endeavours. He lauded the nation's role in fostering peace and stability across conflict-ridden regions and expressed gratitude for Ghana's pioneering role in hosting Africa's inaugural Peacekeeping Ministerial. He commended the Ghana Armed Forces for their commitment to gender inclusion, as expressed with the recent launch of the GAF Gender Policy document. “Since 1958, the number of women in the Ghana Armed Forces has grown, promoting women in leadership, and military roles. I commend the Ghana Armed Forces [efforts]… to advance gender inclusion. The UN says thank you, Ghana.” Mr. Abani noted.

The Minister for Defence, Honourable Dominic Nitiwul underscored the collective responsibility in supporting peacekeeping initiatives, given the evolving nature of conflicts marked by terrorist threats and dire humanitarian crises. According to him “It is regrettable that despite the noble mission that the Blue Helmets carry out every day in extremely difficult and dangerous conditions, we continue to witness an upsurge in conflicts, and war situations in many parts of the world. This underscores the need for continued support from member states, and communities to enable UN Peacekeepers to carry out their mandate effectively”.

The event climaxed with the symbolic raising of both the UN and Ghanaian flags. Four wreaths were laid in memory of fallen peacekeepers. Mrs. Agnes Boateng, a spouse of one of the five Ghanaian peacekeepers who died in 2023 in the line of duty, laid a wreath on behalf of families and loved ones of deceased peacekeepers.  The Government of Ghana and the UN later planted a symbolic tree in their memory. An exhibition showcasing the multifaceted roles played by peacekeepers in safeguarding global peace was mounted. 

Among the dignitaries present were government ministers, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives from the security services all united in their commitment to promoting international peace and security.

Earlier in the day, the UN Information Center in Accra facilitated a media interview session with some Ghanaian Peacekeepers in Lebanon. A UNIC-Accra media partner, ZED Multimedia granted an interview with Captain Sylvia Agbenyo, Captain Mohammed Kelani Midjida, Captain Maame Frema Adusei Poku and Lieutenant Nanabanyin Appiah Kum. The peacekeepers shared their experiences in the field in an effort to provide the general public with firsthand accounts and insights into the challenges and triumphs they face while celebrating their bravery, service and sacrifice.