Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has applauded Ghanaian military troops and administrative staff who are currently on a United Nations mission to support peaceful operations of Israeli troop withdrawal in Lebanon.

Under the GHANBATT 85 of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), 850 officers are deployed there to restore peace and security in the embattled Middle Eastern country, with special attention to Lebanon and Israeli’s shared border.

In an address at their operational headquarters Wednesday at Al-Qawzah, Lebanon, Bawumia commended the officers and urged them to continue in their efforts in maintaining “high standards of discipline.”

“I congratulate the Commanding Officer, Officers, Men and Women of UNIFIL GHANBATT 85 for the impressive performance over the period. Your performance is a true reflection of the high standard of professionalism, diligence and discipline of all Ghanaian soldiers,” said Bawumia.

He continued: “From the briefings we have been given, I am pleased to note that your effective and continuous domination of GHANBATT 85 Area of Responsibility as well as timely reaction to incidents has been highly commended by key stakeholders, notable among them, the Sector West Commander and indeed the UNIFIL Force Commander.”

Bawumia is the first Ghanaian head of state to visit troops in Lebanon, although Ghana buttressed the UNIFIL mission since its commencement in 1978.

On Thursday, Bawumia joined the Sector West Commander of UNIFIL, Major General Stefano Del Col, to pin medals on GHANBATT 85 troops. The occasion marked the UNIFIL Medal Day, a ceremony to honor the peacekeepers who work to maintain peace in south Lebanon.

Earlier this year, UNIFIL celebrated the 40-year anniversary of the mission which was created to stabilize tensions in the Middle Eastern region.

Read more: Ghana is on the rise again – Bawumia to Ghanaians in Lebanon

“We have a collective responsibility to learn from our shared history and to remain on a path to peace. UNIFIL works tirelessly to pre-empt a return to conflict; a return to turmoil and loss of life; a return to some of the dark days of the past,” said the Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Michael Beary at the ceremony earlier this year. “On this day of reflection, we recognize that UNIFIL’s peacekeeping operations have provided the space for the parties to the conflict to begin a move toward a permanent ceasefire.”

Months later, during Bawumia’s trip, he emphasized that “Ghana as a nation must give our Contingent the best support we can, in return for the sacrifices that they make on a daily basis in all international peacekeeping operations.  In this regard, the Government of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will ensure that you have the resources to match your commitments,” Vice President Bawumia avowed. Source: myjoyonline.com