HM Government

Today (29 May) is the annual International Day of UN Peacekeepers, which was marked by a number of events in London on Wednesday.

The day also commemorates those who have lost their lives while serving on Peacekeeping operations. Over 100 UK service personnel make up part of more than 3,500 personnel from around the world who have died serving as UN Peacekeepers since 1948, and they were remembered during a ceremony and wreath-laying at the Cenotaph.

Commander of Joint Forces Command General Sir Chris Deverell and Foreign Office Minister for Asia and Pacific Alok Sharma laid wreaths during the event, and wreaths were also laid by representatives from nearly 100 Embassies and High Commissions, the Chief Inspector of the Constabulary, UN Veterans Association, widows and schoolchildren.

The Band of the Welsh Guards performed at the wreath-laying, and Wednesday’s events also included a Conference at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), opened by Vice Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Gordon Messenger.

Vice Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Gordon Messenger opened a conference at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. Crown Copyright.

Over 690 UK military personnel are currently deployed in support of multiple UN Peacekeeping missions, the majority in South Sudan, Cyprus and Somalia. The largest of these deployments, with nearly 400 British troops now deployed, is in South Sudan to support the UN’s mission in country.

Commander of Joint Forces Command General Sir Chris Deverell said:

Today, on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, we pay tribute to the 3,500 personnel from over 120 countries who have died while serving the United Nations. When peacekeepers deploy they do so on behalf of the international community and in support of efforts by previously warring parties to find a path to peace. I am grateful to each person who deploys, and very proud that over 690 members of the UK Armed Forces are currently deployed as part of this effort.

The UK contribution to the UN Mission in South Sudan includes engineering tasks and the construction and running of a temporary field hospital, to be followed by a permanent facility which will provide medical care for over 1,800 UN Peacekeepers and UN staff.

read more

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The AAIB has sent a team to Derbyshire to investigate a light aircraft accident read more

The UK terror threat level has now been reduced to severe – SEVERE means an attack is highly likely We advise the public to be Alert not Alarmed and to report suspicious behaviour – Action Counters Terrorism Armed police supported by the military will… read more

A Foreign Office spokesperson said:

We wish all Muslims, in the UK and around the world, ‘Ramadan Kareem’.

We are proud of our strong links with the Muslim world and our global missions will be celebrating with the Muslim communities in which they live and work.

The Foreign Office continues to work for a world that is peaceful, secure and prosperous for all and supports all those who need our help. In particular we remember all those who are kept apart from their families by poverty and conflict, such as those suffering in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Ramadan Kareem.

Further information

read more

Prime Minister Theresa May sends her best wishes to everyone in Britain and around the world celebrating Ramadan.

read more