Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, who is also Head of the Inter-sectoral Working Group and Head of the Ministry of National Defense’s Steering Committee on Participation in U.N. Peacekeeping Operations, presided over the ceremony.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Truong Thang speaks at the event. |
According to Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department for Peacekeeping Operations (VNDPKO), the two deployed officers were carefully selected. They possess strong political steadfastness, high professional competence, extensive practical experience, and have been trained in various international environments, fully meeting the standards set by the U.N. and the E.U.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Linh, an instructor at the Army Officer Candidate School No.1, will serve as an Integrated Military Staff Officer at the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), a new position which the U.N. has invited Vietnam to take on for the first time, reflecting its trust and high regard for the capabilities of Vietnam’s peacekeeping forces.
Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thai Son, from the Ha Tinh Provincial Border Guard Command, will take up the role of Training Advisory and Coordination Officer at the E.U. Training Mission in the Central African Republic.
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Maj. Gen. Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department for Peacekeeping Operations, speaks at the event. |
On behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, General Thang congratulated Lt. Col. Nguyen Ngoc Linh and Lt. Col. Tran Thai Son on their upcoming deployment. He also commended the VNDPKO and relevant agencies for their effective personnel training and preparation.
The defense leader emphasized that participation in U.N. peacekeeping has increasingly affirmed Vietnam’s international standing. Continued invitations from the U.N. and the E.U. for Vietnamese officers to hold key mission positions underscore the high regard for the country’s contributions.
He urged both officers to prepare thoroughly in health and mindset, quickly adapt to the operational environment, and promptly assume their duties. He encouraged a spirit of resilience, pro-activeness, and creativity while ensuring absolute safety and learning from international colleagues. By demonstrating professional competence, they will promote the noble image of the Vietnam People’s Army and the virtues of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers,” earning the trust of local communities and international partners.
General Thang expressed confidence that both officers will successfully fulfill the tasks entrusted to them by the Party, the State, and the military.
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Deputy Defense Minister Nguyen Truong Thang hands over decisions to and congratulates the two officers on their upcoming deployment. |
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Delegates pose for a joint photo at the event. |
On behalf of the officer, Lt. Col. Nguyen Ngoc Linh expressed honor and pride in being entrusted by the Party, the State, and the military with this responsibility. He affirmed his determination to successfully accomplish the mission and contribute to promoting the image of Vietnam as a peace-loving nation.
Translated by Tran Hoai