TODAY marks the 40th anniversary of Fiji’s participation as a troop-contributing country within the United Nations Peacekeeping.
In a joint statement issued today, Under-Secretaries-General for Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Atul Khare, recalled the first contingent of approximately 500 Fijian soldiers who were farewelled at a church service at the Centenary Church in Suva on June 10, 1978, before they departed for Lebanon and UNIFIL.
“Over the years, Fiji has provided significant contributions across the Middle East area of operations, notably committing up to half of its national forces at any one time to multiple UN Peacekeeping missions,” it was noted.
They also noted that tragically, 56 Fijian peacekeepers had paid the ultimate price for the cause of peace.
“On the International Day of UN Peacekeepers this year, we honoured one Fijian soldier serving in the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), who lost his life in 2017. As we mark this important milestone, we remember their service and sacrifice, and we grieve with their families.”
