Col. Nguyen Nhu Canh (R), Deputy Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defence, and Matsuzawa Tomoko, Director for Defence Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region at the Japanese Ministry of Defence and head of the working group of Japanese experts, check the quality of the road. (Source:qdnd.vn) The CEPPP under the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations Cycle 4 (2021-2023) was the first of its kind to be held in Vietnam. It was co-chaired by Vietnam and Japan.
The stretch of road, leading to the training ground at Battalion 31 of Brigade 28 under the Air Defence - Air Force service, is 219 metres long, which is meant to mark the date of the establishment of the Vietnam - Japan diplomatic ties (September 21) exactly 50 years ago, in 1973.
This initiative was agreed by the co-chairs of the Experts Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations Cycle 4 – Col. Nguyen Nhu Canh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defence, and Matsuzawa Tomoko, Director for Defence Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region at the Japanese Ministry of Defence and head of the working group of Japanese experts.
During the road construction process, lecturers from Japan’s engineering force also gave guidance on the operation of heavy engineering equipment and some road building techniques suitable for specific terrains of the areas UN peacekeeping missions are based in.
At the CEPPP 2023, with their strength in peacekeeping engineering, Japanese lecturers chaired the training in this field.
Canh said this year’s programme provided a good environment simulating the real situation at UN peacekeeping missions, thus helping improve the capacity of member countries to deploy forces and take part in UN peacekeeping operations, and also enhance cooperation in peacekeeping operations.
Vietnam and Japan agreed to hold the CEPPP 2023 closing ceremony on September 21 to emphasis their cooperation in this regard during the 50-year diplomatic ties, he went on.
Masuzawa expressed her delight that the two co-chairs have cooperated closely and effectively over the last two years to ensure success for the CEPPP 2023, where military observers, engineers, and medical personnel jointly engaged in training from theory to practice.
The programme proved successful and reached the set targets, which also reflected thorough preparations by both Vietnam and Japan, she added./.
VNA
