Speaking at the opening ceremony, Colonel Pham Tan Phong, VNDPKO Deputy Director, highlighted the significance of the professional exchange, stating that it is a highly practical activity aimed at supplementing necessary knowledge and skills for Vietnam's Engineering Company Rotation 2 before their deployment to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) mission.
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Colonel Pham Tan Phong, VNDPKO Deputy Director, addressing the event |
The exchange program focuses on several key areas, including logistic supply, water filtration and treatment, and motor vehicle transportation at the U.N. mission. These professional exchange activities are expected to continue until May 19.
Colonel Pham Tan Phong mentioned that in 2022, Major Colm Lister, head of the Australian expert delegation, and his colleagues participated in a professional exchange on logistics with Vietnam's Engineering Company Rotation 1. The knowledge and skills acquired from these experts have significantly contributed to the successful task completion of the Vietnamese engineering unit so far.
Colonel Pham Tan Phong expressed confidence that the Australian expert delegation would effectively continue their professional exchange with Vietnam's Engineering Company Rotation 2, leveraging their abilities and experience.
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Major Reid Pryor, officer in charge of educational cooperation at the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, speaking at the event |
Australia is one of Vietnam's most effective and practical partners in the field of U.N. peacekeeping operations. The cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Australia in peacekeeping has been continuously developing since 2012 when the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in this field.
In early April, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations successfully organized a professional exchange between Australia's Army School of Infantry and Vietnam's Engineering Company Rotation 2. The sharing and exchanging practical experiences with foreign experts will help enhance the performance of the unit's members during their deployment to the U.N. mission.
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Delegates in a joint photo |
Regarding this, Major Reid Pryor, the officer in charge of educational cooperation at the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, stated that "Although Australia has extensive experience in deploying and operating heavy equipment and machinery, operating and maintaining non-combat transport vehicles in a West African country is still relatively new to Australia. Therefore, Australia also wishes to learn from Vietnam's experience."
"Vietnam's Engineering Company Rotation 1 has provided us with valuable lessons during their work at UNISFA. The Australian experts will thoroughly study these insights and update their presentation content to align with the actual situation at the U.N. mission. The Australian defense force hopes to provide further support to Vietnam in the development of the peacekeeping engineering unit in the future," emphasized Major Reid Pryor.
Translated by Trung Thanh