UN Honors Moroccan Peacekeeper Fallen in Service of Peace

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, paid tribute to a fallen peacekeeper from the Royal Armed Forces of Morocco during the annual ceremony honoring UN personnel who lost their lives in peacekeeping missions. The event was attended by Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Omar Hilale, and Colonel Najim Assid, Military Adviser at Morocco’s Permanent Mission.

Corporal Karim Temara, a member of the Royal Armed Forces deployed with the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), was posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal. He passed away in 2024 while serving in the mission dedicated to peacekeeping.

This ceremony commemorated the sacrifice of over 4,400 peacekeepers who have died in service since 1948, including 57 who lost their lives under the UN flag in the past year alone.

In his remarks, Secretary-General Guterres praised the bravery of these men and women who died far from home in pursuit of humanity’s most noble cause: peace. He emphasized that their dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

He also acknowledged the over two million individuals who have served in 71 peacekeeping missions across four continents over the decades, expressing gratitude to member states for their vital contributions.

Ambassador Hilale expressed his condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers and recognized their noble efforts in promoting peace, security, and the core values of the United Nations.

During a preceding military parade, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare awarded decorations to three officers from Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces serving at the Department of Peace Operations in New York.

These honors reflect the UN's recognition of Morocco's ongoing and meaningful role in peacekeeping efforts, in line with the directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

With 1,714 Moroccan peacekeepers deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, Morocco ranks among the top ten troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping operations.

Established in 2002 by the UN General Assembly, the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is an annual occasion to honor the service and memory of peacekeepers who have given their lives in support of global peace.