Vietnam's mark on the world peacekeeping map

NDO - The achievements that Vietnam has made in its 11-year journey of participating in the United Nations peacekeeping force have affirmed Vietnam's stature on the world peacekeeping map.

Since 2014, Vietnam has successfully deployed 1,083 officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army and People's Public Security officers to participate in the United Nations peacekeeping force. (Photo: KIEU GIANG)

Since the country achieved peace and reunification, the Party and State of Vietnam have consistently implemented a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development; multilateralization and diversification of foreign relations; proactive and active international integration; and being a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community.

On November 23, 2012, the Politburo approved the “Overall Plan on Vietnam’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations”. On April 10, 2013, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 22-NQ/TW on international integration, which set out the direction of “Proactively and actively participating in multilateral institutions, including participating in higher-level activities, such as United Nations peacekeeping operations”.

Major General Pham Manh Thang, Party Secretary, Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department. (Photo: Vietnam Peacekeeping Department)

On May 27, 2014, the Ministry of National Defense announced the Decision to establish the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center (the predecessor of the current Vietnam Peacekeeping Department ) and sent the first two military officers to perform United Nations peacekeeping missions as liaison officers at the South Sudan Mission. This was a historic milestone marking Vietnam's official participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Spread the image of a peace-loving nation

Since 2014, Vietnam's journey to participate in the United Nations peacekeeping force has marked important milestones. According to Major General Pham Manh Thang, Party Secretary and Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department: "Over the past 11 years, from the first officers on individual missions at the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan, Vietnam has successfully deployed 1,083 officers, soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army and People's Public Security officers with 2 types of units and individuals".

Vietnam's peacekeeping force contributes to spreading the beautiful image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" and the peace-loving country of Vietnam. (Photo: Vietnam Peacekeeping Department)

Of which, Vietnam has deployed 6 Level 2 Field Hospital squads with 63 soldiers (the first squad was deployed in 2018 in Bentiu, South Sudan); 3 Engineer Squads with 184 soldiers (the first squad was deployed in 2022 in the Abyei region, Africa - an area with complex conflicts); and sent 137 individual officers of the Vietnam People's Army and 16 officers of the People's Public Security to perform tasks at the United Nations Mission in the Abyei region, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Over the past 11 years, from the first officers on individual missions at the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan, Vietnam has successfully deployed 1,083 officers, soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army and People's Public Security officers in two types: units and individuals.

Major General Pham Manh Thang, Party Secretary, Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department

With their bravery, exemplary style, and high sense of responsibility, the Vietnam People's Army has always completed its tasks excellently, and has been highly appreciated by the United Nations leaders and international colleagues. The Vietnam Level 2 Field Hospital teams in South Sudan have provided high-quality health care and treatment to many patients who are United Nations staff and local people; have successfully performed complex surgeries such as microsurgery to reattach the hand of a Pakistani colleague, and have airlifted many dangerous pregnant women. The Vietnam Engineering Team has also demonstrated its high professional capacity, contributing to changing the face of the United Nations Mission in the Abyei region.

The Vietnamese Blue Berets are always friendly, approachable and loved by the local people. (Photo: Engineer Team)

Not only performing tasks assigned by the United Nations, the blue beret force of the Vietnam People's Army, including the Level 2 Field Hospital and the Engineering Team and officers deployed in individual form - when participating in UN peacekeeping operations, organized many meaningful activities to help local authorities and local people.

The Vietnamese Blue Berets have actively repaired and upgraded roads, helped schools build and renovate classrooms; organized teaching for children; drilled water wells for local people; organized medical examinations and treatment and provided free medicine to people; guided people in farming to improve their lives... These noble humanitarian actions, meaningful to the community, have helped connect the United Nations Blue Berets at the Mission with local people.

In addition to carrying out UN missions, the Vietnamese Blue Berets also organized many meaningful activities to help local authorities and people. (Photo: Engineer Team)

The efforts of the Vietnamese blue beret force have always been highly appreciated by the United Nations leaders and the leaders of the Missions. “We have left behind a beautiful and profound image of the Vietnamese blue beret soldier, the image of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers” - contributing to spreading the noble human values ​​of the Vietnamese people, a peace-loving nation,” said Major General Pham Manh Thang.

Vietnam continues to strive for global mission

In the coming time, facing the increasing demands of international integration and defense diplomacy, building the peacekeeping force of the Vietnam People's Army to be increasingly professional, standardized, and modern - becomes more important than ever.

Vietnam has a higher rate of female soldiers participating in peacekeeping forces than the United Nations average. (Photo: KIEU GIANG)

According to Major General Pham Manh Thang, Vietnam will continue to maintain its forces in the area and commit to participating more deeply in UN peacekeeping operations, through increasing both the quantity and quality of personnel and equipment, in accordance with the country's requirements, capabilities and conditions; at the same time, increasing the proportion of female soldiers in the force.

The Vietnamese peacekeeping force will continue to promote external information, propaganda and education to raise awareness and responsibility among the entire people and army about the position, meaning and importance of this noble mission.

In addition, leaders and commanders of agencies and units must regularly disseminate, propagate and educate officers and soldiers to fully understand the purpose, meaning and importance of the United Nations peacekeeping mission; firmly grasp the Party's international integration and defense diplomacy policies; and Vietnam's consistent goals, viewpoints and stances in international relations (both bilateral and multilateral).

Vietnam's participation in UN peacekeeping operations aims to consistently implement its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, proactiveness and active international integration. (Photo: KIEU GIANG)

For the forces directly involved, it is necessary to equip them with theoretical and practical bases to propagate to the people of the host country to clearly understand that the purpose of the "blue beret" force's activities is in accordance with the United Nations Charter, international law, contributing to protecting peace in the region and the world. Focus on building political mettle and a responsible attitude in the performance of tasks for officers and soldiers, in accordance with the provisions and principles of the United Nations Charter. At the same time, determine determination, overcome hardships and difficulties, and complete tasks well.

Training and capacity building should continue to be focused on. This includes combining support activities from international partners with extensive experience in peacekeeping with research, development and training organization based on the motto “Basic, practical, solid, in-depth”, combined with increased practical training and comprehensive exercises.

Faced with the increasing demands of international integration and defense diplomacy, the building of a peacekeeping force of the Vietnam People's Army that is increasingly professional, disciplined, and modern is more important than ever. (Photo: Vietnam Peacekeeping Department)

Training content focuses on foreign language training; specialized training, peacekeeping knowledge, pre-deployment survival skills, international law, humanitarian law, knowledge about the country, people and regulations of the host country; situation of the mission, specific regulations and tasks of the United Nations, etc. Focusing on supplementing specialized knowledge, military medicine, engineering, etc. ensures that the forces participating in UN peacekeeping are fully equipped with necessary knowledge and quickly adapt to the working environment at the Missions.

Coordinate with central ministries, departments and branches to complete the Draft Law on Participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Forces to submit to the National Assembly for approval at the 9th Session of the 15th tenure in June 2025 to fully institutionalize the Party's guidelines and policies on Vietnam's participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations, creating a solid, long-term and stable legal corridor for the deployment of forces to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

May 29 of each year is chosen by the United Nations as United Nations Peacekeeping Day to recognize the great contributions of this force to world peace and security.

Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department Pham Manh Thang also said that it is necessary to regularly and effectively conduct preliminary and final reviews, draw lessons, point out shortcomings and limitations, and promptly reward groups and individuals with outstanding achievements in their work. On that basis, draw practical experiences, helping cadres and officers accumulate a lot of knowledge, practice independent situation handling skills as well as the ability to coordinate according to international codes of conduct, improve the quality and efficiency of work in a multinational environment, and meet the expectations assigned by the Party, State and Army.

Nhandan.vn

Source: https://nhandan.vn/dau-an-viet-nam-tren-ban-do-gin-giu-hoa-binh-the-gioi-post882802.html