Speaking at the opening ceremony, VNDPKO’s Director Major General Pham Manh Thang emphasized that over more than 11 years of preparing and deploying forces to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations, Vietnam has consistently received enthusiastic and valuable support and assistance from Canada and the U.N., particularly in the field of training and capacity building.
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Maj. Gen. Pham Manh Thang speaks at the opening ceremony. |
Bilateral defense cooperation in the field of U.N. peacekeeping between Vietnam and Canada has continued to develop positively, effectively, and substantively in recent years. UNSOC 2026 serves as yet another vivid demonstration of this strong relationship.
According to Major General Pham Manh Thang, UNSOC 2026 carries special significance, as it is the first international advanced training course independently organized by Vietnam for direct evaluation by representatives of the U.N. Integrated Training Service under the U.N. Department of Peace Operations. The results of this evaluation will serve as the basis for assessment reports, recommendations, and certification of UNSOC courses organized by the VNDPKO as meeting U.N. standards.
The course also aims to equip officers of the Vietnam People’s Army, the Lao People’s Army, and partner countries under Canada’s Military Training and Cooperation Program with necessary professional knowledge and skills to be ready for effective deployment as U.N. staff officers at U.N. peacekeeping missions. At the same time, the course will continue to enhance the prestige, standing, and professional capacity of the VNDPKO in organizing and managing international advanced training courses, develop a high-quality pool of instructors, and strengthen friendly and practical cooperation among Vietnam, Laos, Canada, and international partners in the field of U.N. peacekeeping.
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Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam James Nickel at the event |
General Thang expressed his confidence that, on the foundation of strong cooperative relations and with thorough, meticulous preparation and the highest level of determination and effort from all staff members, instructors, coordinators, and trainees, UNSOC 2026 will be successfully conducted and recognized by the United Nations as meeting its standards.
For his part, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam James Nickel stressed that UNSOC 2026 is a vivid testament to the increasingly developing, substantive, and reliable partnership between Canada and Vietnam in their joint contributions to international peace and security. Ambassador James Nickel thanked the Vietnam People’s Army, particularly the VNDPKO, for the close and effective coordination in organizing this important training course, and highly appreciated Vietnam’s sense of responsibility and professionalism.
According to Ambassador James Nickel, since the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on peacekeeping in 2023, Vietnam has demonstrated an increasingly prominent role by hosting numerous Canada-supported training courses, affirming its position as a reputable regional peacekeeping training center in line with U.N. priorities. Canada is proud to have accompanied Vietnam throughout the entire process of developing and validating UNSOC 2026. Vietnam’s full ownership of a U.N.-recognized training program represents an important institutional achievement, clearly demonstrating the country’s capacity and long-term commitment to multilateral cooperation.
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Delegates in a joint photo |
UNSOC 2026 takes place from January 3 to 30, with instruction provided by Vietnamese instructors and advisory support from Canadian instructors. Participants include trainees from Vietnam and countries under the MTCP framework, namely Bangladesh, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.
Notably, the course also welcomes officers from the Lao People’s Army at the invitation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense.
Translated by Tran Hoai