Senegal has partnered with the UN Peacekeeping to participate in peace operations in numerous hotspots. Currently, the country is the eighth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping, with more than 3,000 troops and police across six missions. Over the years, 79 Senegalese personnel have made the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives in service to peace.

Among the most notable Senegalese heroes is Captain Mbaye Diagne of Senegal, who saved hundreds of lives in 1994 while serving as a peacekeeper in Rwanda before succumbing to a fatal injury incurred while on duty.

In May 2014, the UN Security Council created the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal to honour military, police and civilian United Nations or associated personnel who demonstrate exceptional courage in the face of extreme danger. Two years later, the inaugural medal was awarded to Captain Diagne’s family at a ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York.