Following the Party and State’s orientations, Vietnam has sent personnel to U.N. peacekeeping missions, realizing the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development.
So far, Vietnam has sent nearly 800 military and public security officers to the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and the U.N. Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) as well as the U.N. headquarters in the forms of individuals and units.
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Vietnamese peacekeepers depart for the U.N. Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. |
Currently, Vietnam ranks 45th out of 120 countries sending military and police officers to the missions with the number of personnel regularly deployed to field missions reaching 274, including 36 women officers.
The U.N. Secretary General, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations and the U.N. Military Advisor have repeatedly praised Vietnamese peacekeeping forces and sent letters of thanks to the Government of Vietnam for the contribution of the forces. Many U.N. leaders also highlighted Vietnam's contributions to promoting gender equality by sending a large number of women officers to U.N. peacekeeping missions, meeting and exceeding the criteria set by the U.N.
U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix hailed the active and effective engagement of Vietnam in U.N. peacekeeping activities as well as the country’s commitments to realizing U.N. targets and criteria. The official said he was deeply impressed by the Vietnamese engineering unit’s performance in the UNISFA despite difficulties.
Meanwhile, U.N. Under-Secretary-General Atul Khare for Operational Support expressed his admiration for Vietnam's efforts and contribution, especially through the deployment of level-2 field hospitals to U.N. peacekeeping missions since 2018. This showed Vietnam’s strong commitments and efforts, and was a wonderful thing in the partnership between Vietnam and the U.N., he commented.
In March this year, during a conversation with Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the U.N., Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the UNMISS Nicholas Haysom appreciated the active and effective contribution, creativeness and efforts to overcome difficulties of medical officers and soldiers of the level-2 field hospital and peacekeepers of Vietnam at the UNMISS.
In December, U.N. Police Adviser Faisal Shahkar highly valued Vietnam’s active involvement and good results in peacekeeping operations, including police activities, and voiced his hope for closer cooperation with Vietnam in this regard.
At an event to honor the contribution and sacrifices of “blue beret” forces as part of activities marking the 75th anniversary of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers (May 29, 1948-2023), U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres emphasized that in the context of escalating tensions and conflicts in many regions of the world, U.N. peacekeeping forces are considered a fulcrum of safety and hope for people in many countries and is a symbol of multilateralism.
At the event, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, on behalf of the Vietnamese State, received a Dag Hammarskjöld Medal - the medal for the cause of international peace to servicemen who died while on duty under the U.N. flag in 2022 - presented by the U.N. Secretary General to Lieutenant Colonel Do Anh.
The contribution and successes of Vietnam in the past journey are clear evidence that the deployment of forces to international peacekeeping operations is a sound policy of the Party and State, helping to affirm that Vietnam is a responsible member of the international community, enhancing Vietnam's position, prestige and role in solving international problems, while creating favorable conditions to promote international cooperation on both bilateral and multilateral aspects.
With their braveness and spirit of self-reliance as well as flexible and creative approach, Vietnamese officers joining peacekeeping activities have shown strong performance in implementing their tasks, overcoming difficulties, maintaining close relations with local communities, and acting as ambassadors of peace and friendship. Joining U.N. peacekeeping missions has also helped Vietnam actively prepare forces and become ready to deal with non-traditional challenges in any circumstances.
Source: VNA