Rwandan peacekeepers in South Sudan win World AIDS Day volleyball tournament

Rwanda Formed Police Unit-One (RWAFPU-1) deployed in Malakal under the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) won the volleyball tournament organized by the mission to mark World AIDS Day.

The Rwandan peacekeepers beat UNPOL three straight sets in the finals played in Upper Nile State.

The medal awarding event held on December 2, was presided over by the UNMISS officer in charge of Malakal Field Office, Paul Adejoh Ebikwo, who handed over the medals.

It was also attended by Sector-North commander, Lt. Gen. Jinsong Zhu, and peacekeepers from other contributing countries.

This year’s World AIDS Day was marked under the theme: “Let Communities Lead” where the path to end AIDS runs through communities. 

The ceremony was also marked with a 7km mini-marathon, with the first three winners also Rwandan peacekeepers.

World AIDS Day comes at a defining moment where related deaths have fallen by almost 70 percent since 2004.

Despite new HIV infections being at the lowest point, AIDS still claims lives.

Ebikwo observed that through supporting communities the AIDS is beatable by connecting people to treatment and to any support they need.

He thanked the peacekeeping teams that participated in different sports disciplines to contribute to raising awareness against AIDS and to hold and support the infected to have a healthy and living. (End).