According to Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Head of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, up to now, Vietnam has sent 250 military officers and employees to carry out UN peacekeeping missions at UN headquarters (New York, US) and other missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Major General Hoang Kim Phung (Middle) and soldiers at the send-off ceremony for the level-2 field hospital No. 3 to South Sudan (Photo: Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations)
In particular, there were 41 female soldiers, accounting for 16%, higher than the current average rate of the force participating in UN peacekeeping operations(6.4%).
In June 2018, the UN recognized the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations as one of four international training centers in the region to conduct training under the Tripartite Partnership Program (Vietnam, the UN and some partner countries), marking a premise for Vietnam to chair and coordinate with the UN and Japan to organize 3 training courses for many domestic and international officers on engineering in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have unanimously elected Vietnam to be the President of the Association of Asia-Pacific Peace Operations Training Centres (AAPTC) for the 2020-2021 term, and the ASEAN Peacekeeping Centers Network (APCN) also chose Vietnam as the APCN Chair for the 2020-2021 term.
With the substantive and effective contributions of the Vietnam peacekeeping force, the UN Secretary-General, the UN Deputy Secretary-General in charge of peacekeeping operations and the UN Secretary-General's Military Advisor at the Headquarters in New York sent a letter of thanks to the Government of Vietnam for the medical contribution and the quality and capacity of Vietnam's Level 2 Field Hospital in the South Sudan mission.
Major General Hoang Kim Phung assessed that the contributions of Vietnam's peacekeeping forces are an important mark, contributing to the success of Vietnam's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term with the record number of votes in favour (192 of 193 votes).
“It can be affirmed that the military's participation in UN peacekeeping activities is a bright spot in the relationship between Vietnam and the UN. The image of Vietnam's national flag flying at UN missions, the image of Uncle Ho's soldiers participating in peacekeeping activities, have made a very important contribution to international integration in defense in many fields,” he said.
According to Major General Phung, through the successful implementation of UN peacekeeping operations, Vietnam has affirmed its commitment and responsibility towards promoting peace and security in the region and the world, building trust with partners and international friends, contributing to the defense of the nation by peaceful means.
“At the same time, Vietnam's achievements in the process of participating in UN peacekeeping activities also contribute to enhancing the position, image and prestige of Vietnam at the international arena,” he went on to say.
Recently, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense has established the Engineer Team and made preparations for deployment in an appropriate mission upon the request of the UN. “This can be considered a great step forward in Vietnam's participation in UN peacekeeping activities, making a practical contribution to the protection of peace and stability in the region and the world,” said Major General Phung.
To prepare for the upcoming UN peacekeeping mission, all Vietnamese cadres and soldiers have been trained to raise their competence in foreign languages, laws, regulations, and behavioral skills in a multinational working environment, according to Major General Phung. “They will continue to participate in many practical activities, and meaningful people-to-people diplomacy, such as teaching children; organizing volunteering, cultural and artistic activities; instructing local people in cultivating crops to improve their lives, helping women with childcare, family care and hygiene skills for disease prevention.”
This is also a way to introduce to international friends and the government and people of the host country about the country, culture and people of Vietnam, the heroic traditional history of the nation and the heroic Vietnamese people’s army in the cause of nation building and defense, creating prestige and a good impression on them./.