At the meeting, Senior-Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy-Defense Minister and the Head of the Defense Ministry’s Steering Committee for Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations, handed over the decision signed by the State President on sending Major Do Thi Hang Nga to work as a staff officer at the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
Leader of the Personnel Department under the General Department of Politics reading the decision signed by the State President on sending Major Nga to UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan
The meeting saw the participation of Vu Anh Quang, Chief of the Bureau for International Organizations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Deputy-Head of the Inter-Agency Working Panel for Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations; Major General Le Hien Van, Deputy-Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army and representatives of agencies under the Defense Ministry and the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center.
Regarding Vietnam's participation in UN peacekeeping operations over the past 5 years, General Vinh revealed that UN leaders have highly appreciated the qualities and efforts of all 19 Vietnamese army officers, who have finished their tasks or who are currently working at UN peacekeeping missions. UN leaders also asked Vietnam to send more Vietnamese officers, including female ones, to UN peacekeeping missions, he added.
Deputy-Defense Minister, Senior-Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh handing over the decision to Major Nga
According to Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center, Senior Colonel Hoang Kim Phung, the Center has prepared all necessary knowledge and skills for Major Do Thi Hang Nga over the last two years.
In terms of English competency, Major Nga was enrolled in a number of language courses organized by the Defense Ministry in collaboration with the British Council in Vietnam.
Major Nga promises to successfully fulfill the new assignment
She was also trained in courses for staff officers, UN peacekeepers, UN military-civilian relations workers, UN communications officers and female UN peacekeepers in Sri Lanka, Uganda, China, the Netherlands and South Korea.
In addition, she has received information shared by experienced Vietnamese UN peacekeepers who have worked in UN peacekeeping missions as well as the customs and practices of the target country.
On receiving the decision, Major Nga said, “I would like to thank the leadership of the Defense Ministry and Vietnam Peacekeeping Center for offering me the honor of being the first female officer to work at a UN peacekeeping mission. I also thank my family who have supported my decision on the new assignment and who will take care of my children when I’m away. I’m ready to go now and I promise to successfully fulfill all the tasks assigned by the leaders of the Defense Ministry as well as those to be assigned by the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.”
General Vinh asked Major Nga to try her best to overcome all difficulties and complete all assignments when working as a staff officer at the UN mission in South Sudan.
“Working at a UN peacekeeping mission is hard and is even harder for a female officer. But the leaders of the Defense Ministry believe that Major Nga will fully complete the mission. We hope that Major Nga will set a good example of the Vietnamese female army officers in the hearts and minds of the local people and officers of other countries working in South Sudan,” he said.
Reported by Thu Nguyen-Thuy Duong