Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has shared its experience and reaffirmed its commitment to United Nations (UN) peacekeeping at the 22nd ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts' Working Group (EWG) on Peacekeeping Operations, with a strong focus on advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.
The meeting, co-chaired by Brunei and China, took place from June 29 to July 3 in Bandar Seri Begawan and Penanjong, Brunei, as part of the fifth ADMM+ cycle (2024–2027). Vietnam's delegation was headed by Colonel Nguyen Nhu Canh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
The event gathered representatives from 11 ASEAN member states, eight ADMM+ partner countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Russia and the US, as well as officials from the ASEAN Secretariat and UN peacekeeping specialists.
Delegates discussed measures to enhance deployment readiness, improve interoperability among multinational forces, strengthen training capacity and prepare for the field training exercise (FTX) scheduled for late 2026 in Brunei.
During the sessions, the Vietnamese delegation highlighted the increasing contributions of Vietnamese female peacekeepers serving at UN missions and headquarters, noting their important role not only in fulfilling operational duties but also in supporting community engagement, civilian protection, medical services and humanitarian assistance.
Vietnam also outlined its experience in recruiting, training and preparing female military personnel for peacekeeping operations, while sharing measures to increase women's participation in UN missions. These efforts contribute to implementing the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda and fulfilling ASEAN's commitments in this area.
Drawing on Vietnam's previous role as co-chair of the ADMM+ EWG on Peacekeeping Operations with Japan, Canh shared practical lessons from organising joint activities, field exercises and professional exchanges among member states, helping strengthen the continuity and effectiveness of the ADMM+ peacekeeping cooperation framework.
The Vietnamese delegation reaffirmed its continued support for Brunei and China as co-chairs of the current EWG cycle, particularly in preparations for the end-of-cycle field training exercise.
Within the event's framework, delegates also conducted a site visit to the planned venue for the upcoming multinational exercise.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Vietnam held bilateral talks with delegates from China, Japan, Laos, the RoK and Russia to expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation in UN peacekeeping, with discussions focusing on training, capacity building and the exchange of expertise.
Vietnam's active engagement and substantive contributions at the meeting underscored its growing role and credibility in ASEAN's multilateral defence cooperation mechanisms, while reaffirming its commitment to UN peacekeeping and efforts to promote peace, stability and sustainable development in the region and the world./.
