Senegal tops ECOWAS troops contributions to UN peacekeeping
Senegal is the biggest contributor of military, police and other specialists in the West African sub-regional grouping of the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) to UN Peacekeeping operations around the world as at the end of 2016, according to a report by the UN.
Senegal delegated a total number of 3,617 personnel for peacekeeping operations, comprising 1,384 from the police, nine to the United Nations Military Experts on Mission (UNMEM) and 2,224 troops.
Burkina Faso provides the second largest, a total of 3,036; 493 police, 13 UNMEM and 2,530 troops.
Ghana is third with a contribution of 2,972 personnel in total. There are 462 police, 64 to the UNMEM and 2,446 troops.
Nigeria which is Africa’s largest economy provided a total of 2,170 personnel: 403 from the police, 46 for UNMEM and 1,721
troops.
Niger contributed a total of 1,871 personnel: 209 from the police, 19 UNMEM and 1,643 troops, and Togo has a total of 1,661 with 394 from the police, 18 UNMEM and 1,249 troops.
Benin’s contribution comprise 361 police, 20 UNMEM and 793 troops making a total of 1,174, while Guinea comes next with a total of 923, out of which 51 are from the police, 11 for UNMEM and 861 troops.
The Gambia, one of the tiniest countries in the region provided 135 from the police, 7 to UNMEM and 219 troops, totaling 361.
Mali, one of the countries fighting an insurgency from Islamist fighters sent a total of 59 personnel, with 44 from the police, 13 UNMEM and two soldiers.
Sierra Leone contributed a total of 58 personnel; 39 from the police, nine for UNMEM and eight troops.
Liberia, which like Sierra Leone is still dealing with the aftermaths of a civil war, contributed 45 troops.
Cote d’Ivoire provided seven troops while Guinea Bissau contributed only on soldier, while Cape Verde has no contribution to UN peacekeeping for the period under review.
By Pamela Ofori-Boateng
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