Speaking at the event, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations Major General Hoang Kim Phung said that this is the first time that Vietnam has deployed its officers to the UNISFA. These peacekeepers will work as staff officers in the areas of training, observation, civil-military coordination, operation, and logistics. Among the officers, two have completed their peacekeeping tasks in South Sudan and Central Africa for one tenure.
He reviewed that over the past time under the leadership and direction of the Central Military Commission, leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, General Staff, the General Department of Political Affairs, and with the support from military and civilian agencies, the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations has actively made preparation for the deployment of peacekeepers to UNISFA.
All seven officers completed professional training sessions on U.N. peacekeeping operations and met all professional requirements of the U.N.
At the event, on behalf of the deployed officers, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong affirmed that all of them are ready to undertake missions in UNISFA and promised to actively learn to soon adapt to new working environment and promote responsibility and creativeness to successfully fulfill missions assigned by the U.N. and the Ministry of National Defense.
On behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien congratulated the seven officers on their deployment to UNISFA and asked them to continue studying and strictly implementing the guidelines and foreign policies of the Party, State, and military. He urged the peacekeepers to bring into play the Vietnamese peacekeeping force’s tradition and the noble virtues of Uncle Ho’s soldiers to effectively carry out assigned tasks and pay attention to strengthening solidarity among officers, with international colleagues, and locals.
Given the complicated developments of the COVID-19, Deputy Defense Minister Hoang Xuan Chien asked the officers to strictly observe pandemic prevention and control regulations set by the mission and the Ministry of National Defense and ensure absolute safety of personnel and equipment.
On this occasion, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ba Hung briefed participants on the performance of Vietnamese officers at the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
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Senior Lieutenant General handing over decisions and flowers to Vietnamese peacekeepers |
He affirmed that Vietnamese officers successfully fulfilled assigned missions and were presented with certificates of merit by the missions’ commanders.
Lauding the officers for their fulfillment of tasks at the two missions, Deputy Defense Minister Hoang Xuan Chien said Vietnamese forces joining U.N. peacekeeping operations have recorded noted achievements over the past time and have been applauded by the U.N.
Translated by Tran Hoai