UK troops awarded UN medals for service in South Sudan

The HM Ambassador to South Sudan has awarded UK troops medals in recognition of their peacekeeping work in South Sudan.

85 UK troops from the Engineering and Medical Taskforce in South Sudan have been awarded medals by HM Ambassador Alison Blackburn in recognition of their service in South Sudan.

During their tour, the troops have supported remedial works to a jetty on the River Nile and helicopter landing sites, flood prevention and other infrastructure improvements, as well as the construction of a temporary field hospital in Bentiu, among other things.

The hospital they have built will provide medical care for 1,800 UN personnel, and will be staffed by UK military clinicians for the next 12 months. This will allow other military and civilian staff to continue the work of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Medical staff will continue to provide high class healthcare whilst the engineering troops now turn to building the permanent hospital, as well as to UN infrastructure tasks including improving supply routes - enabling UNMISS to continue protecting civilians.

Nearly 400 UK military personnel are supporting UN efforts in South Sudan following a commitment made in 2015 by the then Prime Minister to double the UK’s commitment to global peacekeeping initiatives.

Alison Blackburne, HM Ambassador, told the medal recipients: “It is not only about what you have achieved, but also the way you have achieved it. You have conducted yourselves with incredible professionalism in a collaborative and humble manner. It is an honour to present you with such well-deserved medals.”

Jason Ainley, commanding officer lieutenant, said: “It has been an immensely rewarding and humbling deployment. We have achieved far more than anticipated in January. The UK Engineering Taskforce and Medics are now firmly established in UNMISS and we are honoured to be able to receive our hard-earned UN medals from HM Ambassador.”