Viet Nam’s flag flies at United Nations peacekeeping missions
The image of Viet Nam’s flag against the sky at the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions as well as the participation of Vietnamese servicemen in peacekeeping activities are important contributions to its international integration in defense, thereby realizing the Party and State’s policy on protecting the Fatherland from afar.
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| Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Director of Viet Nam’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations. (Source: Vnexpress) |
Over the years, Viet Nam’s peacekeeping force has made many outstanding contributions and won many impressive achievements recognized by the UN and the international community.
Effective and efficient contributions
According to Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Director of Viet Nam’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as at present, Viet Nam has sent 250 servicemen and staff to UN peacekeeping missions at the UN Headquarters (New York, USA) and other missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
In terms of individual operation officers, Viet Nam has sent 61 service tours of military officers serving as staff officers, military observers and liaison officers. Regarding the unit form, Viet Nam has dispatched field hospitals involving 189 medical staff.
Most notably, there are 33 female officers in the field hospitals and 8 female officers in individual operation, accounting for 16% of total officers. This percentage is higher than the current average rate among forces participating in UN peacekeeping missions (6,4%).
In June 2018, the UN recognized the Viet Nam’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations as one of the four international training centers in the region to conduct training under the Tripartite Partnership Program (Viet Nam, UN, and other partner countries).
This was the premise for Viet Nam to chair and cooperate with the UN and Japan in organizing three combat engineering training courses for many domestic and foreign officers in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Countries in Asia - Pacific region have unanimously elected Viet Nam to be the President of the Association of Asia - Pacific Peacekeeping Training Centers (APPTC) for the 2020 - 2021 term, while the ASEAN Peacekeeping Centers Network (APCN) also selected Viet Nam as the APCN Chair for the 2020 – 2021 term.
Major General Hoang Kim Phung assessed that the contribution of Viet Nam's peacekeeping forces is an important milestone, which contributed to Viet Nam's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term with a record number of votes (192 out of 193).
A concrete implementation step of the Party and State's foreign policy line
The Director of the Viet Nam's Department of Peacekeeping Operations stated that participation in UN peacekeeping activities is a concrete step in implementing the policy of international integration and foreign policy line of the Party and State of Viet Nam.
| “The UN highly appreciates the contributions of Viet Nam as a non-member member of the UN Security Council, at the same time welcomes Viet Nam’s support to UN initiatives on peacekeeping as well as Viet Nam’s maintenance of the proportion of female officers in the UN peacekeeping force at an encouraging level which is higher than the level recommended by the UN”, said the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. |
Major General Hoang Kim Phung stated that the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense have always identified peacekeeping as a specific element of international integration and defense diplomacy in order to demonstrate Viet Nam's responsibility in solving international issues, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world, and contributing to the protection of national interests.
"It can be said that the military participation in UN peacekeeping activities is a highlight in the relationship between Viet Nam and the UN. The image of Viet Nam' national flag flying at UN missions as well as the presence of Uncle Ho's soldiers in peacekeeping activities have made a very important contribution to international integration in defense", Major General Hoang Kim Phung emphasized.
According to Director Hoang Kim Phung, Viet Nam's dispatchment of forces to join UN peacekeeping operations bears three significant meanings.
Firstly, it contributes to improving the image, position and prestige of Viet Nam in general and the People's Army of Viet Nam in particular at the international arena.
Secondly, it helps to build capacity, courage and experience for the staff participating in UN peacekeeping activities which is a very new area for Viet Nam.
Thirdly, through the successful implementation of UN peacekeeping activities, Viet Nam has affirmed its commitment to and responsibility towards promoting peace and stability in the region and the world, building trust with international partners and friends, and contributing to defending the Fatherland from early and from afar by peaceful means.
At the same time, Viet Nam's achievements in its participation in UN peacekeeping activities also contribute to enhancing the prestige and success of Viet Nam as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.
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| Major General Hoang Kim Phung (centre) and officers at the seeing-off ceremony for the Level-2 Field Hospital No. 3 dispatched to the South Sudan mission. (Photo: Viet Nam's Department of Peacekeeping Operations) |
A great and practical step forward
Implementing the Master Plan on Viet Nam's participation in UN peacekeeping activities and the Project on the participation of the People's Army of Viet Nam in UN peacekeeping activities in the period of 2014-2020 and the following years, the Ministry of Defense established the Combat Engineers Team and carried out preparations for the deployment of an appropriate mission at the request of the UN.
Major General Hoang Kim Phung said: "This can be considered as a great step forward in Viet Nam's participation in UN peacekeeping activities, and a practical contribution to the protection of peace and stability in the region and the world".
At the same time, this is an implementation step to further improve the prestige and position of the country and Viet Nam's Armed Forces. It will add to strengthening international cooperation in defense and security, improving officers' capacity, and serving the need of building a revolutionary, regular, elite, gradually modernizing modern people's army.
In the coming time, in order to heighten the qualities of Uncle Ho's army of blue-beret soldiers when participating in UN peacekeeping activities, Major General Hoang Kim Phung said that the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations would focus on improving education, raising awareness for officials and employees, especially those preparing to be deployed to the missions, about the Party's foreign policy line, the task of participating in UN peacekeeping activities and the need to maintain and build on the qualities of Uncle Ho's army in performingt this important task.
In addition, the blue-beret soldiers will also continue to participate in many practical activities, and meaningful gestures of people-to-people diplomacy such as teaching children; organizing volunteer, cultural and artistic activities; instructing local people in cultivating crops to improve their lives, helping women with childcare, family care and epidemic prevention skills, etc.
Peacekeeping mission is also a way to introduce to international friends as well as the government and people of the host country about Viet Nam, its culture and people, and its heroic tradition and history of building and defending the country. This will create a good reputation and impression.
The mission also proves that the qualities and courage of Uncle Ho's army have always been preserved, advanced and will always shine brilliantly no matter the conditions, circumstances and tasks of the People's Army of Viet Nam in the new period.
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| Vietnamese blue-beret soldiers participated in people-to-people diplomacy. (Photo: Viet Nam's Department of Peacekeeping Operations) |
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