Engagement in UN peacekeeping missions – prominent point in Vietnam’s multilateral diplomacy

Officers and soldiers of Sapper Unit No. 1 (Photo: VNA) set off to participate in the UN peacekeeping operations (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Upholding Vietnam’s peace-loving tradition andimplementing the Party and State’s policy, over the past years, the VietnamPeople’s Army (VPA) has sent officers and soldiers to participate in the UnitedNations (UN)’ peacekeeping missions, which has been supported by local peopleand appreciated by the UN and the international community.

The spirit of dedication and responsibility of Vietnamese soldiershas helped spread the image of the country and people of Vietnam who love peacefor a prosperous and progressive human community. PresidentNguyen Xuan Phuc has assessed the engagement in UN peacekeeping activities over the past 8years as a bright spot in the multilateral diplomacy of the country’sParty, State and army.

The establishment of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre and thesend-off for the first two VPA officers to work as liaison officers atthe UN Mission in South Sudan on May 27, 2014, marked the nation's officialparticipation in UN peacekeeping operations.

On November 13, 2020, the National Assembly passedResolution No. 130/2020/QH14 on joining the UN peacekeeping force, whichclearly stipulates principles, forms, fields and forces, competence, forcedeployment process, guaranteed funding, regimes, policies and state managementfor the engagement in the UN peacekeeping force.

To date, Vietnam has sent 76 individuals, including eightwomen, to work as liaison officers, staff officers, military observers, and intelligenceanalysis officers at the UN headquarters and its two missions in South Sudan(UNMISS), and the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

A Vietnamese peacekeeper (centre) (Photo: VNA)

Since 2020, the country has had four officers recruited towork at the Department of Peace Operations at the UN headquarters in New Yorkand MINUSCA.

In 2018, Vietnam officially sent Level-2 Field HospitalRotation 1 to conduct peacekeeping operations in Bentiu, South Sudan.

To date, it has sent over 250 officers and doctorsof Level-2 Field Hospitals Rotations 1, 2, 3 and 4 to South Sudan.

Especially, after years of careful preparations, on November17, 2021, Vietnam officially made debut Sapper Unit No. 1. This is thefirst time Vietnam has sent a sapper team to participate in the UNpeacekeeping operations and also the deployment of the largest number ever,with 184 soldiers, including 21 women.

Vietnamese peacekeepers of Level 2 Field Hospital No. 3 in South Sudan delivered medical care to save a 50-year-old officer from a stroke on April 11 (Photo: VNA)

According to Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Director of theVietnam Peacekeeping Department, participating in UN peacekeeping activities isa major policy of the Politburo and Party Central Committee to help Vietnamintegrate into the world at a high level.

In the coming time, Vietnam’s policy is to focus ondeveloping external affairs and defence cooperation in the UN peacekeeping, attracting foreign resources to improving the capacity of the Vietnamesearmy in preparing and deploying other forces to get engaged in UN peacekeepingmissions./.

VNA