Deputy Minister of Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Joining United Nations (UN)’s peacekeeping operations isnot only a bright spot in Vietnam’s defence foreign policy but also makessignificant contributions to realising the Party and State’s foreign policies,according to Deputy Minister of Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoang XuanChien.
He made the statement during an interview with the Vietnam News Agency on theoccasion of the 7th founding anniversary of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre(May 27), now the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
He described the establishment of the department in 2014 as a milestone for thedevelopment of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force, providing the conditions forVietnamese “blue beret” officers to engage in the UN’s multilateral mechanisms.
It is also vivid illustration of high-ranking Vietnamese leaders’ commitment tothe international community, Chien stressed, adding that the force has playedan important role in boosting Vietnam’s multilateral diplomacy, particularlyrelations with the UN and many countries around the world.
The Vietnamese blue-berret officers off for mission in South Sudan. (Photo: VNA) Its establishment also affirms that defence cooperation is a crucial pillar inthe Party’s foreign policy, making contributions to improving the role andposition of the Vietnam People’s Army and Vietnam in general in theinternational arena while helping the country successfully perform its role asa non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) during the 2020-2021tenure.
Since the department’s establishment, 55 officers have been sent to work at theUN’s headquarters and missions while 189 doctors and medical workers have been dispatchedto work at level-2 field hospitals in the Central African Republic and SouthSudan.
Deputy Minister of Defence Chien hands over the State President's decision to Major Nguyen Huu Dong. (Photo: VNA) Included in the peacekeeping force were 34 servicewomen, accounting for morethan 16 percent of the total force, compared with the 10 percent required bythe UNSC under its Resolution No 1325 on women and peace and security.
Chien said that Vietnam has proactively participated in multilateral mechanismsof international organisations and partners, adding that it has signed nine memorandaof understanding (MoUs) in the field of peacekeeping with countries, one MoUwith the UN, and one with the EU.
These are important documents since they shape political commitments in maintainingand promoting peacekeeping activities, he highlighted.
The 14th National Assembly adopted Resolution No 130/2020/QH14 on participatingin UN peacekeeping operations, laying a solid legal foundation for the force tocarry out activities in line with Party and State foreign policies.
Regarding upcoming activities, Chien noted that a team of army engineers standsready to join the UN mission, and the UN will inspect the team’s preparationsin June.
If the team is suitable for the mission, this will be a new milestone for the Vietnamesepeacekeeping force, he said, emphasising that it will be able to join otherforces in the UN such as the police./.
VNA
