Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh speaks at the conference reviewing five years of Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations in Hanoi on June 7 (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA)– Vietnam will step up defence cooperation in the United Nations peacekeepingoperations in the coming time, stated Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut.Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh.
He made the statement at a conference reviewing five years of Vietnam’sparticipation in UN peacekeeping operations (2014-2019) held in Hanoi on June7.
2014 markedVietnam’s joining of the UN’s peacekeeping missions by the inception of theVietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the Ministry of Defence anddispatch of the first two officers to the UN Peacekeeping Mission in SouthSudan, he said.
After five years,Vietnam deployed 30 turns of officers to the UN’s two peacekeeping missions inSouth Sudan and Central African Republic to work as liaison officers, militaryobservers and staff officers.
The country deployedthe first level-2 field hospital with the 63-member staff to South Sudan, andis preparing for the deployment of the second level-2 field hospital and asapper company soon.
As a new participantin the UN peacekeeping activities, boosting cooperation with other countriesand organizations having a pool of experience in the work will enable Vietnamto learn their experience and access new military advances to improve capacitybuilding of its peacekeepers, Vinh said.
He affirmed that Vietnam will continue with its peacekeeping operations withbetter quality and look to send its officers to work as staff officers to UNmissions as well as UN agencies in New York, saying it will help Vietnam have strongervoice in the international community.
According to the Ministry of Defence, after 2020, the country’s peacekeepingactivities are expected to be expanded, including the deployment of officers tomore UN missions besides those in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
The country willprepare personnel to run for posts in UN agencies or internationalorganizations at the UN Mission.
Apart from being ready to deploy a sapper company from 2020, the country willconsider the deployment of other forces, such as guards and air transport(helicopter) in line with its capacity.-VNA
VNA
