STORY: UN peacekeepers awarded medals for

distinguished service in Somalia

TRT: 4:16
SOURCE: UNSOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH NATS
DATELINE: 16/JULY/2019, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot, United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU) 5 soldiers on parade during the medal award
ceremony
2. Med shot, parade commander of the United Nations Guard Unit
3. Wide shot, medals and the UNGU officers on parade
4. Close up shot, medals
5. Med shot, parade commander issuing instruction to soldiers on parade
6. Wide shot, parade
7. Med shot, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, James
Swan, being saluted
8. Med shot, UNGU officers on parade
9. Close up shot, SRSG James Swan
10. Med shot, parade
11. Wide shot, UNGU parade commander salutes SRSG, James Swan
12. Med shot, SRSG, James Swan, inspecting the guard of honour
13. Wide shot, SRSG, James Swan, inspecting the guard of honour
14. Close up shot, SRSG, James Swan, being saluted after inspecting the guard of honor
15. Close up shot, the United Nations Guard Unit Commander, Col. Stuart Agaba
16. Med shot, SRSG, James Swan, hands certificates to Col. Stuart Agaba, the United Nations
Guard Unit Commander
17. Close up shot, SRSG, James Swan, pins a medal on Col. Stuart Agaba, the United Nations
Guard Unit Commander
18. Wide shot, Col. Stuart Agaba, the United Nations Guard Unit Commander saluting
19. SOUNDBITE: (English) James Swan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General
(SRSG) for Somalia
Your work in protecting the United Nations in Mogadishu allows us to do our work in support of
the Somali people. You have made contributions to these efforts directly and indirectly. You
have provided excellent security during high level visits and conferences conducted at the
Hanger during the course of your tenure.”
20. Wide shot, SRSG, James Swan, pinning medals on UNGU officers
21. Close up shot, SRSG, James Swan, pinning a medal on an officer
22. Med shot, SRSG, James Swan, pinning a medal on an officer
23. SOUNDBITE: (English) James Swan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General
(SRSG) for Somalia
I also want to acknowledge and express appreciation for the excellent collaboration that exists
between the UNGU, UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), the UN Support Office for
Somalia (UNSOS) and of course with AMISOM forces in Somalia. All of these are efforts to
contribute towards security not just here at the airport and Mogadishu, but also in the
regions.”

24. Med shot, Major General, James Nakibus Lakara, AMISOM Deputy Force Commander in
charge of Logistics and Plans pins a medal on an officer
25. Wide shot, SRSG, James Swan, hands over certificates to the United Nations Guard Unit
Commander, Col Stuart Agaba
26. SOUNDBITE: (English) Major General James Lakara, AMISOM Deputy Force Commander in
charge of Logistics and Plans
“Overall, I think this contingent has delivered on it’s tasks and from the reports I have read, it
has delivered. So, let me take this opportunity to congratulate UNGU 5 led by Col. Agaba for a
job well done.”

27. SOUNDBITE: (English) Colonel Elvis Byamukama, Sector One Contingent Administration
Commander
“There is more work back home to do. Go home and join your families after such a long time
and keep the name of UPDF (Uganda People’s Defence Force) shining.”

28. Med shot, officers singing and clapping

29. Wide shot, officers singing and clapping

UN peacekeepers awarded medals for distinguished service in Somalia

Mogadishu, 17 July 2019 - The United Nations envoy to Somalia, James Swan, yesterday
awarded medals to officers of a United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU) for distinguished service.

The soldiers, belonging to UN Guard Unit 5, were awarded the United Nations Medal for Special
Service, normally conferred to military and police personnel who have served the UN with
distinction.
“Today’s ceremony shows that the excellent work you have been doing since the day you
arrived in Somalia has not gone unnoticed. I congratulate all of you for making the grade in a
very challenging security environment,” said Mr. Swan, the Special Representative of the UN
Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia.

The SRSG lauded the collaboration existing between the United Nations security teams and the
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) personnel in Mogadishu and the regions, adding
that the close working relations had contributed immensely in improving security in Somalia.

“Without AMISOM’s work and sacrifices, there wouldn’t be progress to talk about in Somalia,”
the UN envoy observed.

AMISOM Deputy Force Commander, Maj. Gen. James Lakara, who also attended the ceremony,
congratulated the contingent for delivering on their tasks despite the challenges they faced.

“This contingent has delivered on its tasks and I take this opportunity to congratulate members
of UNGU 5 for a job well done,” said Maj. Gen. Lakara.

His remarks were echoed by the Commander of Sector One Administration Contingent, Colonel
Elvis Byamukama, who thanked the soldiers for meeting the UN expectations and urged them
to continue upholding professionalism in their new assignments back home.

The UN Special Service Medal was established in 1999 and is awarded to personnel who have
completed 90 days of service with a UN mission or organization.