Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s peacekeeping force has worked to enhance thecountry’s position in promoting the implementation of the UN MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs), including maintaining sustainable peace around theworld, Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Vietnam Department ofPeacekeeping Operations, has said.
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Phung highlighted the positivecontributions made by Vietnam’s peacekeeping force in UN missions.
“Sending troops to join UN peacekeeping missions in Africa is the Vietnamese army’scontribution to maintaining sustainable peace in the world,” he emphasised,adding that all countries wish to protect their people from non-traditionalchallenges and enable them to live in safety.
Vietnam’s peacekeeping initiatives have been commended by the UN andinternational friends, contributing to affirming its position and prestige inthe region and the world, he added.
Although Vietnam is quite new to peacekeeping missions, the country has made apositive impression on the international community, the UN, and the missions inSouth Sudan and the Central Africa Republic, Phung said.
It has signed nine cooperative peacekeeping agreements with nine countries and twoothers with the UN and the EU, he said, describing the deals as helping promotebilateral defence cooperation with foreign countries.
A Vietnamese blue-beret officer (Photo: VNA)Some 126 doctors and medical staff and 53 officers of Vietnamese level-2 fieldhospitals have joined UN peacekeeping forces since 2014, and they havesuccessfully fulfilled their tasks. The Under-Secretary General for PeaceOperations and the Military Adviser to the UN Secretary General sent a thank youletter to the Vietnamese Government for its medical contributions to the UN.
Besides carrying out its mission, Vietnam’s peacekeeping force has providedmajor support to local residents, such as teaching and taking care of kids and instructingpeople on how to plant vegetables, among other things.
In particular, after the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the world, makingit harder to ensure sufficient medical supplies for hospitals, staff whoreturned home on furlough were assigned to bring back medicines and medicalsupplies when they returned, to serve COVID-19 prevention efforts in the hostnation.
Phung said the participation in defence foreign affairs is one way for theVietnamese military to protect the country during peacetime.
A ceremony on March 23 in Ho Chi Minh City to send off the staff of the third Level-2 Field Hospital, who participate in the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (Photo: VNA)Peacekeeping is a priority for Vietnam at the UN Security Council as thecountry serves in different positions this year. It was UNSC Chair for thesecond time in April, suggesting 15 open meetings and ten closed meetings todiscuss international peace and security.
On April 19, State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will preside over a high-levelopen debate on enhancing cooperation between the UN and regional andsub-regional organisations in promoting confidence-building and dialogue inconflict prevention and resolution.
Earlier this month, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son presided over aministerial-level open debate on “Mine action and sustaining peace: Strongerpartnerships for better delivery”./.
VNA
