Two Vietnamese units depart for UN peacekeeping missions

Speaking at the ceremony, Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defense, said preparations for the two units had been carried out comprehensively and in a coordinated manner.

He affirmed that the two units have basically met all deployment requirements and are ready to perform their duties in accordance with UN standards and the specific requirements of their respective missions.

Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 8 comprises 63 military personnel from military regions, army corps, military hospitals, the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations and other military agencies and units. The unit will replace Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 7 at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Bentiu.

Meanwhile, Engineering Unit Rotation 5 consists of 184 personnel from the Air Defence–Air Force Service, the Navy, military regions, army corps and the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations. It will replace Engineering Unit Rotation 4 at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Addressing the ceremony, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, on behalf of Party and State leaders, expressed her trust in and expectations for the Vietnamese peacekeeping forces as they undertake their international missions.

She affirmed that Viet Nam is an active and responsible member of the United Nations and consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization of external relations.

Viet Nam proactively and actively participates in multilateral cooperation mechanisms to address global challenges, including traditional and non-traditional security issues. Its participation in UN peacekeeping operations is a concrete manifestation of this policy, she said.

After more than 12 years of direct participation in UN peacekeeping operations, Viet Nam has gradually expanded the scale, areas, locations and forms of its engagement while enhancing the quality of its contributions and deploying various types of units and personnel to a wide range of positions.

More than 1,600 personnel from the Viet Nam People's Army and the People's Public Security force have so far taken part in UN peacekeeping operations.

Vice President Xuan urged the personnel of Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 8 and Engineering Unit Rotation 5 to uphold their political mettle, strengthen solidarity, strictly observe discipline, proactively overcome difficulties, and comply with UN regulations and the laws of host countries.

She also called on them to bring into full play their professional expertise and skills to successfully fulfil their assigned tasks, thereby contributing to enhancing the image of Vietnamese "blue-helmet" peacekeepers among international friends./.