Three Moroccan soldiers honored on UN Peacekeepers Day ceremony

Saturday 30 May 2026 - 10:18

By: Dakir Madiha

Three Moroccan soldiers honored on UN Peacekeepers Day ceremony

The United Nations marked International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on May 29, paying tribute to the men and women serving in peace operations around the world and honoring those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The official ceremony is scheduled for June 5 at UN headquarters in New York, held under the theme "Investing in Peace." Secretary-General António Guterres will lead a wreath-laying and preside over a decoration ceremony, during which the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal will be awarded posthumously to 68 peacekeepers who died while serving in UN missions.

Among those to receive the medal are three Moroccan military personnel. Corporal Driss Guebgabi and Private First Class Achraf Boukdama both served in the Central African Republic under the MINUSCA mission, while Corporal Jawad Erritali was deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of MONUSCO. Their posthumous recognition underscores the personal cost borne by Moroccan forces contributing to international stability on the African continent.

Morocco continues to play a significant role in UN peacekeeping operations. Ranked ninth among global troop-contributing countries, the Kingdom currently deploys more than 1,300 personnel, including women soldiers, across multiple missions in Africa. These forces operate in complex, protracted conflict environments where threats have grown increasingly sophisticated, including the misuse of digital technologies by armed groups and non-state actors.

In his address marking the day, Guterres paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of peacekeepers, noting that nearly 4,500 blue helmets have lost their lives since UN peace operations began in 1948. He called on member states to strengthen protections for deployed personnel and to sustain long-term financial and political support for peacekeeping mandates. Additional honors to be presented at the June 5 ceremony include the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for exceptional courage and awards recognizing gender equality efforts within UN missions.