The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Liberia, Ellen Margrethe Løj gave away the medals for the Nepali peacekeepers, the UN office in Kathmandu said.
“You have traveled thousands of kilometers and made personal and professional sacrifices so that Liberians can live in peace, security and freedom,” Løj said in the ceremony.
Nepali peacekeepers have served in Liberia during the UN Obersver Mission in 1996 and in United National Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) since 2003.
During her remarks at the ceremony, Løj urged peacekeepers to be exemplary in their conduct. Quoting from a Nepali teaching which says, “Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back and chose the path that leads to wisdom”, she urged them to choose the path of good conduct and lead by example, the UN release added.
“I am immensely proud that you - Nepali peacekeepers - have brought your unique traditions to peacekeeping in Liberia and conducted yourselves with compassion and respect for diversity. We deeply value this approach,” she said.
She assured that the difficult situation under which they perform their duties is well appreciated by UNMIL and the UN.
Løj also praised the outreach activities of the Nepali contingent in training youth in the various communities in cooking and vehicle mechanics; as well as training the Monrovia Central Prison inmates in vegetable farming, which has not only helped to improve their nutritional status, but also equipped them with skills to become productive member of their communities after their jail sentence is over.
Nepal is the fifth largest troop contributing country worldwide. Over 76,000 of its peacekeepers have served in various peace missions since 1958 when it became a member of the United Nations. Currently, over 3,900 are deployed in eleven missions around the world.
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