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Leaders of the Vietnamese Engineering Company Rotation 2 receive the U.N. delegation. |
Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, Acting Head cum Force Commander of UNISFA, and representatives of the authorities of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) also joined the delegation.
At the reception, Senior Colonel Nguyen Viet Hung, Commander of the Vietnamese forces in UNISFA and Head of the Vietnamese Engineering Company Rotation 2, briefed the U.N. delegation on the organization, function of Vietnamese forces, as well as their practical activities to support the local people.
Since its deployment to the area, the Vietnamese engineering team has actively implemented many programs, such as building classrooms, repairing tables, screening movies for children, helping locals to prevent flooding, instructing them on how to farm, and providing free health check-ups and medicines, among others. These noble activities were highly appreciated by the mission.
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Senior Colonel Nguyen Viet Hung presents General Birame Diop with a statue of President Ho Chi Minh. |
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General Birame Diop writing down on the unit’s guest book |
General Birame Diop acknowledged considerable efforts of the Vietnamese unit, underlying that they have overcome all difficulties in weather and living conditions to accomplish all assigned tasks.
“You have all made Highway a spacious base in the area, renovated the road system to ensure smooth traffic, provided humanitarian aids to local authorities and people, leaving good impressions on the local residents,” he added.
The U.N. advisor noted that these activities have contributed to enhancing trust among the local residents towards U.N. peacekeeping forces in the UNISFA.
He requested that in the time ahead, the Vietnamese peacekeepers should continue to upgrade key roads and open roads for patrol missions, while implementing the Smart camp project among international peacekeeping forces stationed in the area.
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General Birame Diop and the U.N. delegation touring the unit’s campus |
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The U.N. delegation touring the place to repair tables and chairs for schools |
Currently, the political and security situation still remains complicated, especially conflicts arising in Sudan, requiring the Vietnamese engineering company to overcome these difficulties and challenges to complete all tasks.
For his part, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr held that the movie screening activity at the school in Abyei Church has played practical role, contributing to motivating the children to keep up with their study. He also applauded other activities like repairing tables and chairs, building classrooms, working with the Ministry of Education to come up with plans to support local schools, and coordinating with the local authorities to carry out humanitarian activities.
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Delegates in a group photo |
Talking to the unit’s staff, General Birame Diop expressed his impression that Vietnam has a high rate of female officers taking part in the country’s peacekeeping force. On the occasion, he sent his sincere thanks to Vietnamese female soldiers for their efforts in task performance.
Translated by Minh Anh