FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, the international community honors the more than 1 million peacekeepers who have served under the UN flag and risked their lives to protect civilians and promote peace. Today the UN Secretary-General is in Mali, the most dangerous peacekeeping mission in the world. The United States joins him in paying tribute to the men and women serving in the mission there, and in the 13 other UN peacekeeping missions around the globe.

At its best, UN peacekeeping saves lives, ends violent conflicts, and helps countries transition to peaceful and independent societies. Seventy years after the creation of the first UN peacekeeping mission, missions are changing for the better – but there is still more to be done. When peacekeeping missions support political solutions, receive host country cooperation, have realistic and achievable mandates, and have exit strategies, missions can not only save civilian lives but also help ensure countries can live in peace and security without an indefinite UN presence. The United States welcomes UN Secretary-General Guterres’ commitment to peacekeeping reform and his efforts to make peacekeeping more effective for the people it was created to protect.

“Around the world, the blue helmet is the most recognizable symbol of the UN’s work. We thank the brave peacekeepers who serve in some of the world’s most dangerous conflicts, and we honor the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause,” said Ambassador Haley.