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| Over the past 11 years, the Vietnamese peacekeeping force has left a beautiful and profound image of Uncle Ho's soldiers, contributing to spreading the noble human values of our nation, a peace-loving nation, to friends around the world ... (Photo: Provided by the Department of Peacekeeping) |
From the nation's desire for peace ...
“Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” – the immortal thought of President Ho Chi Minh not only lights the way for the Vietnamese people on the path of regaining and protecting their independence, but is also a guiding torch for international integration and responsibility today.
In the past, to protect the independence, freedom, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, Vietnam had to go through many wars with much pain and loss. More than anyone else, the Vietnamese people understand the value of peace and always cherish and love peace.
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Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department. (Photo: Provided by the Department of Peacekeeping) |
Immediately after the success of the August Revolution in 1945, President Ho Chi Minh sent a letter to the United Nations General Assembly affirming Vietnam's support for the goals of the United Nations and expressing his desire to contribute to the common work.
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; 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".
Next, 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 activities...".
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.
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| Over the past 11 years, Vietnam has deployed 6 Level 2 Field Hospital teams, 3 Engineering Team teams, and sent 137 individual officers of the Vietnam People's Army and 16 officers of the People's Public Security to United Nations peacekeeping missions. (Photo: Provided by the Department of Peacekeeping) |
...to affirm Vietnam's stature
11 years (May 27, 2014 - May 27, 2025) is not a long period of time compared to the more than 80 years of building, fighting and growing of the Vietnam People's Army, but it is enough to prove the bravery, intelligence and qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in a multinational international environment with instabilities in security and epidemics.
With the attention and leadership of the Party, the State, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defense, the United Nations peacekeeping force of the Vietnam People's Army has continuously grown and matured. From the first officers on individual missions at the UNMISS Mission in South Sudan, to date, we have 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.
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| The Vietnam People's Army forces participating in UN peacekeeping operations have assisted local authorities and people in many activities. (Photo: Provided by the Department of Peacekeeping) |
Over the past 11 years, 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 - 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 United Nations peacekeeping missions at UNISFA (Abyei region), UNMISS (South Sudan), MINUSCA (Central African Republic), and the United Nations headquarters in New York.
With exemplary courage, style, and high sense of responsibility, the Vietnam People's Army always completes its tasks excellently and is highly appreciated by United Nations leaders and international colleagues.
The Vietnamese Level 2 Field Hospital teams in South Sudan have provided high-quality health care and treatment to many patients, including UN staff and local residents; successfully performed complex surgeries such as microsurgery to reattach a hand for a Pakistani colleague; and airlifted many dangerous pregnant women. The Vietnamese engineering team has also demonstrated its high professional capacity, contributing to changing the face of the UN Mission in the Abyei region.
The forces of the Vietnam People's Army, including the Level 2 Field Hospital and the Engineer Team and officers deployed individually when participating in the United Nations peacekeeping operations, have helped local authorities and local people build 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 have helped connect the United Nations blue beret force at the Mission with local people. This has always been highly appreciated by the United Nations leaders and the Mission leaders.
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.
Professional, formal, modern
In the coming time, in response to the increasing demands of international integration and defense diplomacy, the Vietnam People's Army will continue to maintain its forces in the area and commit to participating more deeply in United Nations peacekeeping operations, through increasing both the quantity and quality of personnel and equipment, in accordance with the requirements, capabilities and conditions of the country; at the same time, increasing the proportion of female soldiers in the force.
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| The Vietnam People's Army continues to maintain its forces in the area and commits to participating more deeply in United Nations peacekeeping operations. (Photo: Provided by the Department of Peacekeeping) |
Continue to promote foreign information, propaganda and education to raise awareness and responsibility among the entire people and army about the position, significance and importance of this noble task. Focus on building political capacity and responsible attitude in soldiers in the process of performing tasks, 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.
Focus on training and resource development, including a combination of support activities from international partners with extensive experience in peacekeeping with research, development and training organization according to the motto: "Basic, practical, solid, in-depth", associated with increased practical training and comprehensive exercises.
Training content focuses on foreign language training, professional training, peacekeeping knowledge, pre-deployment survival skills, international law, humanitarian law, knowledge about the country, people and regulations of the host country; the situation of the mission, specific regulations and tasks of the United Nations...
Pay attention to supplementing professional knowledge, military medicine, engineering... to ensure that forces participating in UN peacekeeping are fully equipped with necessary knowledge and can 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.
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| Participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations is an honor and a great responsibility of the Vietnam People's Army. (Photo: Provided by the Department of Peacekeeping) |
Regularly and effectively carry out the work of summarizing, summarizing, drawing lessons, clearly pointing out the reasons for success and failure in performing tasks, measures to overcome limitations and shortcomings, promptly rewarding groups and individuals with outstanding achievements in work; on that basis, drawing practical experiences, helping the team of 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, meeting the expectations assigned by the Party, State and Army.
Participating in UN peacekeeping operations is an honor and a noble responsibility of the Vietnam People's Army. Thoroughly grasping and implementing the above contents is to concretize the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws on proactive international integration and defense diplomacy.
11 years is just the beginning of a very long journey and in that journey there will be many challenges to overcome, many missions to complete, many opportunities for officers, employees and soldiers of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department to continue to affirm that they have increasingly made more practical contributions to world peace.
The presence of the Vietnam People's Army in the United Nations blue beret formation affirms the justice and noble humanity in United Nations peacekeeping activities, enhancing the country's position in the international arena.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/gin-giu-hoa-binh-su-menh-toan-cau-trai-tim-viet-nam-315729.html
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