MND sees off L2FH Rotation 3’s personnel to South Sudan

PANO - The Ministry of National Defense (MND) held a solemn ceremony to see off personnel of the Level 2 Field Hospital (L2FH) Rotation 3 to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan on March 23 in Ho Chi Minh City.

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Deputy Defense Ministers Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, head of the MND’s steering committee on Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations, and Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien co-chaired the event.

In his speech, Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VNDPKO) said that since its inception in March 2020, the L2FH Rotation 3’s personnel have surmounted difficulties and participated in various training courses to improve their professional expertise and acquire more knowledge on peacekeeping. They have also got COVID-19 vaccine shots and were issued COVID-19 prevention and control measures in line with the current situation in South Sudan.

At the ceremony, General Chien handed over the State President’s decision on assigning L2FH Rotation 3 to replace L2FH Rotation 2 and presented the national flag to the L2FH Rotation 3. He also asked the hospital staff and workers to follow quarantine procedures, quickly settle down in their new environment, and comprehensively take over the duties of L2FH Rotation 2. He requested them to exercise COVID-19 prevention and control measures and strictly follow directions and instructions from domestic and UN agencies and units.

The hospital was urged to keep a close watch on the development of COVID-19 in the host country and report to the VNDPKO and relevant organs for further instructions. They should also improve their expertise, maintain internal and international solidarity, and try their best to accomplish all assignments, contributing to beautifying the image of Vietnam and Uncle Ho’s soldiers among international friends.

Chien also took this chance to thank the UN and international partners, including the Government of Australia, for their continuous support in deploying the L2FH Rotation 3 as scheduled.

Virtually attending the ceremony, UN Under Secretary General Atul Khare thanked Vietnam for participating in UN peacekeeping operations. He expressed his delight at the vaccination of all Vietnamese blue berets as a response to the UN Secretary General’s call, saying that it will help protect the UN’s blue beret force and local people. He wished the hospital’s personnel good luck.

On behalf of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, its Deputy Chief Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan ordered the seeing-off of L2FH Rotation 3 to take peacekeeping missions in South Sudan. He noted that the hospital’s personnel should be aware of the honor and responsibility to take the missions assigned by the Party, State, military, and people.

Tan urged them to observe military discipline, regulations of the UN Mission in South Sudan, and laws of the host country, overcome difficulties, and fulfil all assignments from the UN and the MND.

On behalf of the hospital’s personnel, the hospital director Lieutenant Colonel Trinh My Hoa confirmed that participating in UN peacekeeping operations is an honor for not only the hospital’s personnel, but also their families, units, and hometowns. They will ensure absolute safety, gain trust of local people, and beautify the image of Vietnam, its people, and Uncle Ho’s soldiers.

After the see-off ceremony, the hospital’s personnel will be divided into two groups to board Australia’s military transport aircraft C-17A Globemaster III for South Sudan on March 24 and April 21.