Việt Nam marks one decade of UN peacekeeping training

Deputy Chief of the VPA General Staff Sen. Lieut. Gen Phùng Sĩ Tấn speaks at the event on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VDPO), which serves as the Standing Office of the Ministry of National Defence’s Steering Committee on participation in the United Nations peacekeeping operations, held a conference in Hà Nội on August 27 to review the country’s 10-year training work in UN peacekeeping activities.

VDPO Col. Nguyễn Như Cảnh said over the past decade, the VDPO has effectively coordinated with various agencies and units to deliver top-tier training that aligns with both UN guidelines and the Việt Nam People’s Army standards. Between 2014 and 2023, 21 courses equipped nearly 1,500 military personnel with the skills needed to excel in complex peacekeeping environments.

The training staff primarily consist of those with first-hand experience in peacekeeping operations.

Notably, Việt Nam successfully held two large-scale and complex international exercises, including the End-of-Cycle Field Training Exercise of the 4th Cycle (2021-2023) of the Expert Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations in the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), co-chaired by Việt Nam and Japan, and the Việt Nam-India Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX).

Moreover, the VDPO successfully conducted a heavy engineering equipment operation course in 2019 and an instructor course for heavy engineering equipment operation in 2020 as part of the UN Triangular Partnership Programme (TPP) with Japan, he said.

Sen. Lieut. Gen Phùng Sĩ Tấn, Deputy Chief of the VPA General Staff and deputy head of the steering committee, praised the VDPO’s achievements, noting that the training has met quality and effectiveness standards, thus helping ensure the safety of personnel and equipment at various UN missions.

Looking ahead, he tasked the VDPO with revising the training framework to align with evolving UN requirements and setting a goal of gaining UN recognition for at least one specialised peacekeeping training course in the near future.

On the occasion, the Minister of National Defence presented certificates of merit to 15 groups and 22 individuals, while the VPA General Staff honoured an additional 10 groups and 25 individuals. The VDPO also commended 5 individuals for their exceptional service. — VNS