United Nations Peacekeeping Force Pays Tribute to Fallen Ghanaian Comrade

Abidjan. 31 July 2008: The United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) held a memorial service for Commander Issac Archer at its Headquarters in Abidjan on Thursday, 31 July 2008. Prior to his death due to a traffic accident on 21 July, Commander Archer had served as the Deputy Commander of UNOCI's Ghanaian Military Hospital in Bouake, 350 km north of Abidjan.

The UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Côte d'Ivoire, Georg Charpentier, the UNOCI Deputy Force Commander, General Elhadji Mouhamadou Kandji, the Ambassador of Ghana to Cote d'Ivoire, Blay Amihere, and numerous military and civilian officials of UNOCI took part in the ceremony.

Speaking at this solemn occasion, the Commander of UNOCI's Ghanaian Military Hospital, Lieutenant-Colonel S. K. Adjei, recalled that "Commander Issac Archer was a true medical and military professional and a man of his word." According to LtCol. Adjei, "as a doctor, Commander Archer had always shown compassion and empathy toward his patients."

Commander Issac Archer had arrived in Côte d'Ivoire on 22 June 2008. He was thirty-five years and was married. He lost his life to Sikensi (50km north-west of Abidjan), due to a traffic accident.

Ghana is the sixth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to United Nations peacekeeping operations, with more than 3,200 soldiers and police officers serving in 13 operations around the world, including 550 in Cote d'Ivoire.

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For further information please contact:
Colonel Mustapha Dafir, Military Spokesman,
Tel: +225-20 23 56 73, Mobile: + 225-05990530, Fax: +225-20235157
Email: [email protected]
http://www.onuci.org