UN Commends Brave Ethiopian Peacekeepers for Service, Sacrifice

Addis Ababa, January 29, 2026 (ENA) -The United Nations has praised the "brave" Ethiopian women and men peacekeepers for their service and sacrifice as the country maintains its longstanding central role in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.

Ethiopia continues to maintain a leading role in United Nations peacekeeping, sustaining its position as one of the world's top troop-contributing countries with a decades-long history of commitment to global and regional stability.

“Over 1,500 military and police officers from Ethiopia are serving for peace with United Nations Peacekeeping, leaving their families to protect those most at risk,” according a statement from the UN.

 

The United Nations appreciated the brave Ethiopian women and men for their service and sacrifice as part of honoring the service and sacrifice of all peacekeepers, and commended the contributions from all the countries.

Since 1948 more than two million people have served as UN Peacekeepers in hotspots around the world, including more than 65,000 today, the statement further noted.

They provide security, stability and hope for a better future to war-affected communities. And they often do so at great personal risk and under very harsh conditions, leaving their families behind thousands of hundreds of miles away from their homelands, it added.

According to the statement, more than 4, 400 peacekeepers have lost their lives serving under the UN flag.

The United Nations does not have its own military or police force, it said, adding that it relies on individual UN Member States to contribute personnel to its peacekeeping operations.

Today, UN peacekeepers hail from more than 100 troop and police contributing countries, but they are united in their goal to help provide security and stability to some of the most vulnerable people on earth. Collectively, they perform acts of courage and compassion every day.

Beyond their regular mandated activities – such as protecting civilians and supporting peace processes -- peacekeepers often carry out humanitarian efforts such as delivering free medical and veterinary care, providing access to water; supporting schools and orphanages; building roads and bridges and other key infrastructure which benefit communities and bring people together.

“The United Nations honors the service and sacrifice of all peacekeepers and commends the contributions from all the countries that provide our peacekeeping operations with military and police personnel,” the statement concluded.