Addis Ababa, March 31, 2019 (FBC) – Minister of Defence, Eng. Aisha Mohammed said Ethiopia is ready to deploy additional uniformed peacekeepers to fill gaps identified in the current UN peacekeeping operations.
She made the remark during the peacekeeping ministerial meeting on uniformed capabilities, performances, and protection held in New York.
In her remark, Eng. Aisha said Ethiopia has been participating in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations for seventy years.
Ethiopia is currently the leading troop contributing country with varying levels of involvement in different peacekeeping missions, though with a special focus on the IGAD region, the Horn of Africa, she said.
She said Ethiopian troops are diligently discharging their duties, paying the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of international peace and security.
The promotion of global peace and security is a major political consideration in Ethiopia’s commitment to United Nations and African Union led peacekeeping operations, she said.
In addition to being the leading troop contributing country, with over 800,000 troops, the country is proud of the fact that it is also leading in women peacekeepers, with more than 800 deployed under peacekeeping missions, the Minister noted.
However, she said “while it may be the highest number from a single country, it is still barely representative of the possibilities.”
“In Ethiopia we are working to increase the number of uniformed women at national level in training, including preparation for peacekeeping missions.”
She further said Ethiopia will remain committed for the sustainable implementation of the 2018 Action for Peacekeeping Declaration which identified a number of priorities, including the primacy of politics, the role of women in peace and security, the importance of partnership as well as safety and security of people particularly women and children.
Source : FANE
