Deputy Defence Minister receives UNDP representative hinh anh 1The second group of Vientamese level-2 field hospital left for South Sudan on October 15. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Defence Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh hosted a reception for Kamal Malhotra, Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative to Vietnam, in Hanoi on November 15.

At the event, they discussed several issues relating to an international conference on improving Vietnam’s peacekeeping capacity co-chaired by Vietnam and the UNDP on November 23.

Joining the UN peacekeeping force is a long-term strategy of Vietnam, Vinh affirmed, stressing that the conference will help Vietnam outline its rational policy in participating in the force in the coming time.

The Ministry of National Defence will continue close coordination with the UNDP in Vietnam in the fields of official training and post-war consequence recovery.

Kamal Malhotra, for his part, congratulated Vietnam for successfully implementing the first level-2 field hospital in South Sudan, while lauding the country’s meticulous preparation for the international conference.

Vietnam has previously sent many individuals to join global peacekeeping efforts who were later complimented by leaders of UN Missions in South Sudan and Central Africa for their professional and prompt response to urgent situations.

The hospital is the first-ever independent unit of Vietnam to join the UN peacekeeping operation. On October 1, the first hospital delegation with 32 members set off for South Sudan. The second group, with 31 doctors, left Ho Chi Minh City for the mission in the African country on October 15. –VNA

VNA