A young soldier from the United Kingdom says he must stay on his “A-game” on patrol with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali, to keep himself, colleagues and Malians safe in one of the most dangerous UN postings anywhere in the world.
Trooper Jack Drake, who just celebrated his 25th birthday on tour, is part of a 300-strong British reconnaissance contingent which arrived in the West African country in December 2020. Its role in the mission, known as MINUSMA, is to gather intelligence and protect civilians in trouble spots around its base in Gao in north-eastern Mali. Trooper Drake spoke to the UN ahead of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers which is marked annually on 29th May.
Speeding through tough terrain
“I’m a driver for a reconnaissance troop within the UK contingent of MINUSMA. My job is to drive and maintain my 4WD, on- and off-road vehicle, a Jackal 2, when we are on base and on patrol, and call in mechanics when necessary. One of the things I like most about my job is being hands-on with the vehicles.
The terrain and climate are tough and quite bleak, especially now in the dry season, when it’s very sandy, so I really have to focus on picking the best route for the vehicle and knowing when to put my foot down to avoid getting stuck. I’ve really had to adapt and learn new skills to drive in this environment which is exciting for me on a personal and professional level.
Gao is a challenging place to work. During the day temperatures can reach 51°C (124°F), so it’s extremely hot and unlike anything I have experienced before. On patrol, we are drinking 14 litres of water each day.
‘Mali is a dangerous place right now’
In February, we went on a 28-day patrol, the longest ever undertaken by MINUSMA, reaching villages in really remote places. Mali is a dangerous place right now, so I really have to be on my A-game on patrol. It’s important to recognize any threats and stay switched on the whole time. You rely on the other members of your crew to stay safe.
I was very wary when I first arrived in the country, but now I am better at reading the atmospherics of a situation, for example, understanding how local people are feeling when we arrive in a village. Understanding the human terrain is as important as understanding the physical terrain in reconnaissance work, so that is a new skill I have learnt. We call this situational awareness, which is crucial as it helps MINUSMA respond to threats against the civilians.
Bringing a sense of security during the pandemic
Line Private Paige Conroy is a 24-year-old Irish peacekeeper working with UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon). Private Conroy carries out patrols, security duties and monitors the blue line (Line of Withdrawal) that separates Lebanon and Israel and protects Lebanon’s territorial integrity.
“I hope we are making a positive impact on the lives of people here. I feel that we are giving them hope of peace, especially when we are out patrolling. When they see us, we always wave and they always wave at us, we are friendly towards everyone”
“Unfortunately, with COVID, we haven’t had much physical interaction with the local population, but that is because we don’t want to put them at risk of getting COVID.”
UN peacekeeping missions have been even more of a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Private Conroy says they are doing everything they can to help protect the local population on the Syrian border.
“Doing security duties, both on my post and out on patrol on the blue line where we are tasked to pay particular attention to tensions on both sides of the border, is a vital part of our job out here. We also have to make sure we are maintaining our COVID-19 discipline through wearing masks, hand washing and keeping our distance where possible.”
Youth are vital actors of peace
Both Trooper Drake and Private Conroy uphold the UN’s values around the Youth Security Agenda and both work to ensure security on their respective missions.
“I am proud that I have adapted to the challenges on my first trip, especially with COVID and not being able to go home on leave,” says Private Conroy. “My message to young people in Lebanon is stay safe and remain hopeful, study hard and get a good education.”
When asked if she would like to serve in another UN Peacekeeping mission, Private Conroy was very positive. “Yes, absolutely, especially since I am young, I would definitely like to do other missions, like UNDOF. Having experience of one mission will be very useful if I get the opportunity to do another one.”
According to Trooper Drake, “as a peacekeeper in my 20s, young Malians feel more comfortable with me than they might with an older soldier; I guess they feel as though I am a little less different from them, than older colleagues. We sometimes play football with local youth which they really like; you can see their faces light up, so it definitely makes them happy.
Overall, it’s a really unique experience being here and one which my friends back home in the north of England are quite jealous of. You can see the difference you make as a UN peacekeeper and that is a rewarding feeling”.
MINUSMA and the UK peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/minusma
The British contingent is a 300-strong Task Group, comprised of 17 women and 283 men.
The mission was established in April 2013 to support Mali’s political process and carry out a number of security-related stabilization tasks, as well to protect civilians, monitor human rights violations and create the conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance and the return home of people displaced by conflict.
It’s one of the UN’s deadliest missions with 190 peacekeepers killed while on active duty.
UNIFIL and IRELAND peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unifil
The Irish Contingent is a 350-strong task group based in the South of Lebanon.
UNIFIL was created by the Security Council in March 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.