JUBA, South Sudan, 15 Janvier 2025 /African Media Agency (AMA)/- Racing along the deep and fast-moving waters of the River Nile, Bangladesh’s Force Marine Unit is on a mission to reach communities in remote locations near Malakal where roads are impassable.
These 200-strong peacekeeping unit, with its 12 boats, are on the frontlines of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan’s (UNMISS’) efforts to protect civilians in the Upper Nile region and ensure freedom of movement along the river, including ensuring safe passage for large convoys of barges carrying food, fuel, and other vital supplies on the 1876-kilometer journey from the capital Juba to the mission’s northern most bases.
The critical importance of this unit’s decade-long contribution to peacekeeping in South Sudan was recognized during a visit by Bangladesh’s Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan.
“Bangladesh is deeply committed to the cause of peace around the world,” he says. “Here in South Sudan, our naval contingent takes this important task very seriously. We select the best officers and sailors to ensure the civilian population is safe. For the past 10 years, we have been performing this duty with pride and dignity, and we hope our commitment and dedication will ensure that peace prevails.”
The maritime unit is just one part of Bangladesh’s efforts to support peace in South Sudan with 1632 peacekeepers, including 101 women, carrying out a diverse range of activities across the conflict-affected country, including protecting civilians, supporting the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and building hundreds of kilometres of roads in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions.
“This country is dramatically affected by its topography and its weather which frequently seeks to hold our peacekeepers hostage in their camps because of rain and mud. We try to be as agile and mobile as possible but, for that, we need roads to travel on and we are deeply indebted to the Bangladesh engineers who keep those roads free for transport,” says the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom.
The challenging operating environment as well as the stagnating peace process was among the many issues discussed with UNMISS leaders and national security actors during the visit.
“United Nations peacekeeping is the way that the world, as a whole, rallies around countries to help them recover from conflict and build stability, and we have come to depend on a continuous level of support from the Bangladeshi people who provide peacekeepers to this country,” said Mr. Haysom.
“This region has endured two civil wars in the past decade, and our number one priority is to avoid a relapse into civil war in South Sudan but also in the broader region which is deeply affected by conflict and war.”
Outside of their official duties, the Bangladeshi peacekeepers also help sow the seeds of peace through compassionate support for those they serve, providing medical care, constructing community facilities, including sports grounds, and donating schoolbooks and other materials to help students reach their full potential and enjoy productive and peaceful lives.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf on UNMISS.
