The Vietnamese delegation that is taking part in the field exercise on peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action in Indonesia (Photo: VNA)Jakarta (VNA) – Vietnam is taking part in afield exercise on peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action thatopened at the Indonesia Peace and Security Centre in Sentul city on September16.
The drill until September 20 comes within theframework of the experts’ working groups of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM Plus.
It is attended by more than 500 personnel fromthe 10 ASEAN members and eight partner countries, namely the US, China, theRepublic of Korea, New Zealand, India, Russia, Australia and Japan.
The team of the Vietnamese Defence Ministryconsists of 33 officers divided into two groups. The group for the peacekeepingdrill is led by Col. Nguyen Nhu Canh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Departmentof Peacekeeping Operations, and the other for the humanitarian mine actiondrill, by Col. Pham Huu Tuan, Deputy Chief of the engineering arm’s staff.
Opening the exercise, Indonesian DefenceMinister Ryamizard Ryacudu highly valued the defence cooperation among the ADMMPlus members in the recent past, especially in peacekeeping operations andhumanitarian mine action.
He said those activities have helped improve themember countries’ capacity to contribute more effectively to UN peacekeepingmissions and the settlement of post-war unexploded ordnances. They are also apractical defence cooperation channel to enhance the solidarity and mutualunderstanding among the members of the ADMM Plus.
The exercise is a good chance for the countriesto share experience in humanitarian activities, the official said, applaudingthe engagement of servicewomen in the event which, he said, is in line with theUN’s encouragement of women’s participation in peacekeeping operations.
Col. Canh said this is the first time Vietnamhas taken part in this exercise, and the participation has affirmed thecountry’s sense of responsibility towards common activities of ASEAN and theADMM Plus.
Following Indonesia and Australia’sco-chairmanship of the ADMM Plus experts’ working group on peacekeepingoperations, Vietnam and Japan will co-chair the group for 2020-2023.
Therefore, this time’s exercise is a good chancefor Vietnam to gain experience in organising multilateral peacekeeping drillsto prepare for future events. It is also an occasion to improve relevant sides’capacity in personnel training and readying forces for UN peacekeepingoperations in the time ahead, he added./.
VNA
