U.N. Official Thanks South Korea for Helicopter Donation to Kenya

A senior official from the United Nations recently thanked South Korea for its generous donation of eight military helicopters to Kenya. This donation is aimed at enhancing U.N. peacekeeping operations in the region.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the U.N. under-secretary-general for peace operations, made the announcement via a post on social media, highlighting the importance of the helicopters in improving air mobility for peacekeeping missions. He referred to the donation as a 'concrete example' of how U.N. member states contribute to global peace efforts.

The helicopters, refurbished with support from the United States, were officially handed over to Kenyan officials during a ceremony attended by defense representatives from South Korea, the U.S., and Kenya. Lacroix expressed his appreciation, stating, 'Grateful to the Republic of Korea for donating eight helicopters.'

This initiative aligns with South Korea's commitment made during the U.N. peacekeeping ministerial meeting in Seoul in 2021, where it pledged to support peacekeeping operations across Africa. The helicopters, which underwent two years of refurbishment in the U.S., are now ready for deployment after passing all necessary flight tests.