According to the senior officer of the VPA, Vietnamese troops participating in UN peacekeeping operations are described as a model military contingent. The contingent has the highest rate of servicewomen among countries joining UN peacekeeping operations, strictly observes rules and regulations, and demonstrates high expertise. The general went on to say that this is the evaluation of the United Nations. “We are surprised and feel proud of our troops as their capabilities and skills have been highly appreciated by the United Nations. These are skills that other countries wish their troops could have, including skills to adapt to insufficient living conditions,” he said.
“Vietnamese soldiers can bring their experience from their wars of resistance to anywhere they go to, applicable to peacetime, contributing to maintaining peace and security for the country and the world,” stressed the general.
The prestige and capabilities of the Vietnamese peacekeepers have been confirmed as the United Nations has suggested Vietnam expand its peacekeeping operations to other areas such as engineering, civil and police affairs, police advisory activities, etc. The United Nations has officially offered military commanding posts at UN peacekeeping missions as well as at the headquarters in New York to some Vietnamese officers. Among those officers, Lieutenant Colonel Luong Truong Vinh has been selected to the post of planning officer at the Force General Service under the Office of Military Affairs of the UN Department of Peace Operations in New York.
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Lieutenant Colonel Luong Truong Vinh has been selected to the post of planning officer at the Force General Service under the Office of Military Affairs of the UN Department of Peace Operations in New York. |
Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Chief of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VNDPKO) affirmed, “The fact that Lieutenant Colonel Luong Truong Vinh has been selected for a post at a UN peacekeeping agency has proved the capabilities of Vietnamese peacekeepers. It has also affirmed that Vietnam is ready to engage in a higher level of peacekeeping operations with higher requirements.”
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh held that it has demonstrated a new image and a new presence for the Vietnamese military-defense force in the international arena.
The high evaluation of the United Nations towards Vietnamese peacekeepers was made based on the achievements of Vietnamese officers and the Level-two Field Hospital Rotation 1 joining UN peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic and South Sudan. Twenty seven individual officers and the field hospital have left a good impression on the leadership of the UN, local leaders, and military units.
The officers of the second field hospital of Vietnam are preparing for their departure to South Sudan and are expected to have more success when undertaking their duties there. According to Colonel David Houghton, UK Defense Attaché to Vietnam, foreign experts come to Vietnam to give advice, not to conduct training, as the Vietnamese peacekeepers can do it on their own. He said that there is clear evidence of improvement compared to the previous time and Vietnam can be proud of what its peacekeepers have done in preparation for the deployment of the second level-two field hospital to South Sudan.
Vietnam has consistently proved to be a reliable partner in cooperation with other countries in terms of peacekeeping operations. The country has been selected as one of the four training centers in Southeast Asia, meeting the UN standards for UN TPP (Triangular Partnership Project) programs. The United States has also chosen the Training Center of the VNDPKO as a center for English training for ASEAN military personnel.
Achievements made during its participation in UN peacekeeping operations have helped heighten Vietnam’s prestige and proved its peacekeeping capabilities. At the same time, the success of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force has contributed to calling for international support for the country's development and firmly safeguarding the Fatherland from afar by peaceful means.
Translated by Huu Duong