(Phnom Penh): In commemoration of the International Day of the United Nations Peacekeepers on 29 May 2026, three Cambodian peacekeepers who tragically lost their lives while serving in South Sudan and the Central African Republic will be posthumously honoured with the esteemed Dag Hammarskjöld Medal at the UN headquarters on 5 June 2026.
This distinguished award represents one of the United Nations' highest tributes to personnel who make the ultimate sacrifice in the service of peace. This year, UN Secretary General António Guterres will present medals to 68 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers from around the globe who have lost their lives while serving under the UN flag.
The honoured Cambodians include 1st Lieutenant Phat Muny and Captain Duong Magaly, both of whom served in South Sudan, alongside Master Sergeant Da Brak, who was deployed to the Central African Republic.
The ceremony follows the annual observance of the International Day of U.N. Peacekeepers, which honours the men and women who serve in some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones.
During the ceremony, Secretary General Guterres will also lay a wreath in memory of nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have died in UN operations since 1948, including 59 who lost their lives in 2024, according to a UN statement dated 28 May 2026.
“On this International Day, we honour peacekeepers past and present and reaffirm our shared responsibility to respect and strengthen their work,” Guterres said. “No one should die serving the cause of peace.”
Cambodia continues to be a significant contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, ranking 26th worldwide with over 450 personnel deployed, including 83 women. Since joining UN peacekeeping missions in 2006, Cambodia has sent nearly 10,000 personnel, including more than 800 women, to operations in 10 countries, with the majority serving in conflict-affected regions in Africa, as well as in Lebanon and Cyprus.
Presently, more than 50,000 civilian, military, and police personnel are actively serving in 11 UN peacekeeping missions globally. These operations engage personnel from 118 countries and are tasked with protecting civilians, supporting ceasefires, and aiding in the stabilisation of societies emerging from conflict.
In his message addressing this significant day, Guterres warned that peacekeepers continue to face growing risks in volatile environments. He said attacks against U.N. personnel constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and stressed that those serving under the U.N. flag must be protected.
With conflicts intensifying in several regions, U.N. leaders have also called for stronger political backing and sustained funding for peacekeeping operations, arguing that investment in peace remains essential to preventing further instability and violence.
=FRESH NEWS
