September 18, 2019 | 07:46 (GMT+7)
Vietnam joins peacekeeping and mine action FTX
PANO – The peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action field training exercise (FTX) kicked off on September 16 in Bogor, Indonesia, in the framework of the Expert Working Group (EWG) of the ADMM+.
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Delegates at the opening ceremony |
The Vietnamese military delegation joining the FTX this time consists of 33 officers, divided into two groups taking part in the two contents of the FTX, namely peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu highly appreciated defense cooperation activities held by ADMM+ member countries over the past time, especially the FTX on peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action. He stressed that those activities have contributed to enhancing the capacities of member countries for joining UN peacekeeping operations and dealing with unexploded ordnance (UXO). This is an effective defense cooperation channel aiming at strengthening mutual understanding among ADMM+ member countries.
The Indonesian minister thanked the 10 ASEAN countries and eight counterparts for joining the FTX. He also highly valued the participation of women peacekeepers at the FTX this time, which is in line with the UN’s call for member nations to increase the ratio of women peacekeepers at UN missions.
According to Senior Colonel Nguyen Nhu Canh, Vice Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, this is the first time Vietnam has joined such an FTX, but it has once more reaffirmed the responsibility of Vietnam for common activities of ASEAN and ADMM+.
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Vietnamese delegation joining peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action FTX |
He also revealed that after the co-chair of Australia and Indonesia over the EWG in peacekeeping operations of ADMM+, Vietnam and Japan will take over the chair for the 2020 - 2023 period. This is a good chance for Vietnam to gain more experience in holding international events and multilateral exercises and enhance its capacity for training forces ready for joining UN peacekeeping operations.
As scheduled, the FTX is held in four phases and lasts until September 22.
Reported by Vu Hiep (from Bogor, Indonesia)
Translated by Huu Duong