[Near Verbatim]
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Honourable Albino Akol Atak,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My fellow Peacekeepers,
Thank you for joining us on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, as we commemorate this occasion under the theme “Invest in Peace”.
Eighty years ago, the United Nations was founded on a simple but powerful belief: that peace is possible.
Today, that belief is under increasing strain as global tensions rise, conflicts multiply, and divisions deepen.
In responding to these challenges, UN Peacekeeping remains one of the international community’s most effective and cost-efficient tools for maintaining international peace and security.
More than 50,000 peacekeepers serve in some of the world’s most complex and dangerous environments. They serve with courage and dedication, often at great personal risk.
Today, we remember the more than 4,500 peacekeepers who have died while serving under the UN flag since peacekeeping began.
The UN Secretary-General will award the Captain Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage to the late Sergii Prykhodko of Ukraine who lost his life during an attack on an UNMISS helicopter in March 2025. May we remember him on this special day.
We also pay tribute to 13 of our own colleagues who have lost their lives in the past year, including the late SRSG, Nicholas “Fink” Haysom, whose commitment to peace, justice and humanity will forever inspire us.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Conflict continues to cause immense challenges in South Sudan, with many lives lost and millions of people displaced from their homes.
Our peacekeepers are doing their utmost to support those in need through efforts that are saving and changing lives for the better.
- We are patrolling by land, air and river, helping to provide a protective presence, and deter violence.
- Recently in Abiemnhom, peacekeepers provided sanctuary to more than 2,300 civilians under live gunfire.
- We are currently securing airdrop zones for humanitarian actors and providing escorts to convoys carrying vital supplies to the most vulnerable people in conflict-affected Jonglei.
- We are rolling out mobile courts across the country to give victims of crime the justice they deserve.
- And, alongside partners, we are working hard to progress the country’s transition towards sustainable peace.
Minister, Excellencies,
UNMISS is facing mounting challenges in carrying out this important work, including the impact of the UN-wide financial crisis which has required a significant reduction in peacekeepers and the closure of bases.
While these financial constraints are likely to continue, our guiding principle remains clear: people must come first in all that we do.
The call to “Invest in Peace” is not simply a slogan. It is a choice.
Peace does not happen by chance.
It requires commitment, collective action, and continuous investment.
It means choosing dialogue over division, cooperation over competition, and cohesion over conflict.
Peace is a shared responsibility.
That is why it is so important that South Sudan’s leaders resolve differences through inclusive dialogue and political compromise and cease all hostilities in order to deliver the peace their people so richly deserve.
Let me end by:
- honoring the courage, compassion, and commitment of our peacekeepers.
- paying tribute to the people of South Sudan, who we serve, and who inspire us with their resilience and persistence in the pursuit of peace.
- And, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to be the partner of the nation in peace, not only as an aspiration, but as a daily and deliberate act.
Rest assured, as the UN, we remain committed to helping South Sudan realize its shared vision: a vision of a peaceful, stable and prosperous nation where no girl, woman, boy, or man is left behind.
I thank you.
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Contact: UNMISS Spokesperson at unmiss-spokesperson@un.org