Engagement in UN peacekeeping operations raises Vietnam's prestige: officer

ABO/NDO – Vietnam’s engagement in UN peacekeeping operations over the past seven years has helped raise the country’s prestige and position in the world and win praise from the UN, international friends and local people, according to Major General Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

The officer made the affirmation at a working session on July 6 with Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang, who is head of the inter-sectoral team on Vietnam's tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and deputy head of the inter-sectoral team on Vietnam's participation in UN peacekeeping activities.

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang works with the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (Photo: VNA).

Phung appreciated the close and effective coordination of the Foreign Ministry with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations from the initial stage of survey and research to making decision and deploying Vietnamese forces to the field.

Deputy minister Giang affirmed that participating in UN peacekeeping activities is a major policy of the Party and State, reflecting an important new point in the thinking on international integration and marking a step forward in the country's integration process in the field of national defence, contributing to the joint effort to prevent the threat of war and conflict and effectively implementing the strategy on safeguarding the Fatherland early on and from afar during peaceful time.

Such practical contributions also helped Vietnam be elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 with a record number of votes, and created favourable conditions for the country to perform its role in the council.

Giang suggested that the Department consider expanding Vietnamese peacekeeping forces' participation to more locations and fields, while taking advantage of international cooperation and external resources to enhance the forces' capacity and expertise.

He also urged the Department to intensify research in peacekeeping operations so as to advise the Party and State in issuing measures to facilitate and improve Vietnam's contribution in this regard.

The deputy minister affirmed that the Foreign Ministry will continue to instruct its units to coordinate with the Department to effectively implement relevant plans and tasks, first of all a plan on sending sappers to a suitable peacekeeping mission.

(Source: NDO)