GAO, MALI, Feb. 23 (ChinaMil) -- All 395 members of the 5th Chinese peacekeeping force to Mali were awarded the United Nations Peace Medals of Honor by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) on Tuesday. the medal-awarding ceremony was held at the MINUSMA Super Camp in Gao.
MINUSMA Force Commander Lieutenant General Jean-Paul Deconinck, Brigadier General Anisuz Zaman, commander of the Sector East of the MINUSMA, Chinese military attaché to Mali Senior Mao Fenghua, Mali government officials and commanders of the peacekeeping forces to Mali from other countries attended the ceremony.
The 5th Chinese peacekeeping force to Mali consists of a guard detachment, an engineer detachment, and a medical detachment.
The 170-strong guard detachment is responsible for the security of the MINUSMA Sector East Headquarters and emergency support for the MINUSMA Super Camp. Since its deployment in May 2017, the detachment has conducted armed patrols covering more than 13,000 km and handled over 10 contingencies.
The 155-strong engineer detachment has completed 14 large-scale construction projects in the mission area including construction of Ménaka Camp defense works and renovation of facilities at the Gao International Airport.
The task of the medical detachment was to provide medical service for MINUSMA peacekeepers. The 70 medical workers of the detachment have treated 5,000 patients, conducted more than 140 surgical operations and salvaged 81patients in critical conditions.
"Your dedicated service plays an important role in the cause of peace in Mali and you have made outstanding contributions to Mali. All of you deserve this honor," said Deconinck in his speech delivered at the ceremony.
In the past nine months, the Chinese peacekeepers have completed all tasks assigned by MINUSMA with high standards, demonstrating excellent professional quality and strict discipline in the mission areas in Mali with the most dangerous situations, the most complicated environments and hardest conditions recognized by the UN, and The UN Peace Medal of Honor is the best compliment to the outstanding contributions made by the Chinese peacekeepers, Deconinck said.
