Kananga, 14 March 2013 - At Kananga, the administrative capital of Kasaï Occidental province, 124 police officers of the Senegalese contingent within the UN Special Police Unit based in this city were awarded UN medals on Wednesday 13 March 2013.

The ceremony was chaired by Jacques Desilets, Deputy Police Commissioner of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and attended by the Senegalese Ambassador and Consul as well as Lieutenant General Abdoulaye Fall, Senior Commander of the "Gendarmerie Nationale Sénégalaise" and the Director of Military Justice from Senegal.

Also in attendance, the provincial military, civilian authorities and MONUSCO units chiefs in Kananga, the provincial vice-governor, Deller Kawino, and UN provincial Coordinator in Kasaï Occidental, Alain Sitchet. An 8-member delegation coming from Senegal was lead by Abdoulaye Fall, Lieutenant-General and Senior Commander of the National Gendarmerie.

The major activities conducted by the contingent included escorts for MONUSCO substantive sections and other international organisms as well as patrolling across the city of Kananga and its surroundings. This is part of the peace securing and consolidation activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lansana Dabo/ MONUSCO