One is a Lieutenant colonel and Deputy commander of the Cambodian Engineering Unit. The other is a Captain Engineer serving as Technical and Liaison Officer, deployed on mission in July 2025. Both serve with the MINUSCA Force in the Central African Republic. Through road rehabilitation, bridge repairs, and the construction of essential infrastructure, Lieutenant Colonel Yann Makar and Captain Pisey PO share a common mission: improving the living conditions of local populations while strengthening the foundations of lasting peace. A dual portrait of two MINUSCA peacekeepers.
Every day, teams from the Cambodian engineering company of MINUSCA work on several roads, bridges, airfields, and other strategic infrastructure that they are tasked with constructing or rehabilitating. Together with the other members of their team, Lieutenant Colonel Yann Makar and Captain Pisey Po have carried out numerous assignments, some more memorable than others.
Among his achievements, Lieutenant Colonel Yann Makar cites the rehabilitation of the section connecting Ippy to Bambari at PK5 as one of the most significant examples of the Mission’s impact. At the time, numerous trucks carrying goods, fuel, and humanitarian aid had been stranded for nearly three weeks due to the condition of the road. Thanks to the rapid intervention of the engineering team, traffic was restored, allowing economic and humanitarian activities to resume.
For his part, Captain Pisey PO recalls the rehabilitation of the Grimari-Sibut road, a strategic route approximately 120 kilometers long, which was widened to nine meters. Before the work began, this road was practically impassable during the rainy season. Today, it allows local communities, traders, and essential services to travel more easily throughout the year.
Reconnecting Communities
Beyond their work, their achievements tell a deeper story: that of communities that were once isolated and are now regaining access to markets, schools, and health centers. It is the story of men, women, and children whose daily lives are gradually being transformed thanks to passable roads and safe transportation routes.
For Lieutenant Colonel Yann Makar, military engineering is, above all, a concrete way to serve the people. “Through our military engineering work, I have seen the tangible impact of rehabilitating roads, bridges, and other essential infrastructure. These improvements make travel easier, enhance access to basic services, and support local economic activities,” he explains.
Captain Pisey PO shares the same perspective. As a technical and liaison officer, he ensures not only that projects are carried out properly but also that they meet the needs of local communities. “I have come to understand that infrastructure is not merely about engineering structures; it tangibly transforms people’s daily lives,” he emphasizes.
Although their responsibilities differ, their experiences in the field lead them to the same conclusion: the roads and bridges that are built or rehabilitated are far more than mere physical structures. They create new opportunities for communities.
For both officers, the impact of these projects is measured above all by the changes they witness in the lives of local residents: farmers gaining easier access to markets, children who can get to school safely, families travelling more quickly to health centers, and isolated communities reconnecting with the rest of the country. “For local residents, improved transportation routes mean faster access to health centers, schools, markets, and humanitarian aid,” emphasizes Lieutenant Colonel Yann Makara.
A conviction fully shared by Captain Pisey PO. “Our work was not only about construction; it was also about providing access to opportunities, security, and hope,” he explains. This close connection with the local populations has profoundly transformed their perception of peacekeeping. Both now believe that peace is not limited to security or the absence of conflict. “I have come to understand that peace is not only about ensuring security, but also about building trust, respecting local communities, and creating the conditions necessary for lasting stability,” says Lieutenant Colonel Yann Makar.
Captain Pisey PO shares the same view. “Today, I know that peacekeeping also relies on trust, mutual respect, and listening. Civil engineering can build roads, but only human relationships can build lasting peace.”
This ability to connect people has become central to their commitment within MINUSCA. Through the roads they repair, the bridges they rebuild, and the infrastructure they improve, the two officers contribute every day to creating conditions conducive to development and peace.
Lieutenant Colonel Yann Makar and Captain Pisey PO share much more than expertise in military engineering. They share the same perspective on their mission: that of peacemakers who put their skills to work for the benefit of local populations. Through their work, they have not only connected towns and villages but also helped bring communities closer together.
Thus, for these two peacekeepers, engineering work is also a powerful driver of peacebuilding. For every road rehabilitated, every bridge repaired, and every logistics corridor restored helps bring communities closer together and supports humanitarian efforts.
And the locals appreciate it…
The journeys of these two peacekeepers are marked by experiences, each more moving than the last. And when they recount them, they do so with genuine emotion. Lieutenant Colonel Yann Makar still remembers the moment when: “The villagers, accompanied by many children, came to greet us with beaming smiles and genuine joy. What touched me most was that they spontaneously offered their help and worked alongside us on the construction site.”
He continues: “What inspired me most about the local communities was their resilience, their kindness, and their ability to remain hopeful despite hardship.”
For Captain Pisey PO, one particularly memorable moment came after the preparation of a hospital site and the rehabilitation of its access road. “A villager came up to us with a big smile, said ‘thank you very much,’ and warmly shook my hand. At that moment, I understood that peacekeeping is not merely about building infrastructure projects, but above all about serving people.”
The peacekeeper is also moved by the renewed optimism within the communities: “Despite often having very limited means, people willingly share what they have and keep smiling. They have taught me patience, gratitude, and the importance of community spirit.”
Thus, behind the construction equipment, geotechnical studies, and fieldwork, two paths converge around a shared conviction: infrastructure is not merely a matter of civil engineering projects; it is also a bridge to hope, development, and stability for the Central African Republic and its people.
