VIETNAM, April 8 -  

HÀ NỘI The Ministry of National Defence organised a ceremony on Monday to award the Presidential Decisions and Ministerial Decisions to three officers for peacekeeping missions under the United Nations in Central African Republic, South Sudan and the Abyei area.

The three officers assigned for this mission are: Major Nguyễn Sỹ Hiếu, who will serve as a Military Observer at MINUSCA (Central African Republic) replacing Captain Nguyễn Văn Phòng. Hiếu is a former lecturer of the Academy of Air Defence – Air Force.

Captain Nguyễn Thị Thanh Loan, the only women of the three, will serve as a Logistics Officer at UNISFA (Abyei region) replacing Lieutenant Trần Nam Phương. Loan is a former lecturer of the Computer Science Department, Army Academy.

First Lieutenant Nguyễn Tiến Long, former Assistant to the Political Department of Navy Zone 4 Command, will serve as a Military Observer at UNMISS (South Sudan) replacing First Lieutenant Nguyễn Như Tuấn.

Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Chiến, Central Committee Member of the Party, Central Military Commission Member, Deputy Minister of National Defence, Head of the Interagency Task Force, Head of the Ministry of National Defence Steering Committee for UN Peacekeeping Operations, presided over the ceremony.

According to Colonel Mạc Đức Trọng, Deputy Director of the Việt Nam Peacekeeping Department (Ministry of National Defence), to prepare the replacement personnel effectively, the Việt Nam Peacekeeping Department proactively selected officers who meet the requirements for military capacity, UN peacekeeping knowledge, foreign language proficiency, and good health.

Additionally, the Việt Nam Peacekeeping Department organised training courses according to UN requirements, including: UN Staff Officer Course, UN Logistics Officer Course, UN Military Observer Course, and Pre-deployment Training Course. Moreover, depending on the deployment positions, the Department sent officers to participate in training courses abroad to enhance their professional competence in their respective fields of responsibility at the peacekeeping missions.

Chiến remarked that being assigned to UN peacekeeping missions is not only an honour for each individual but also for the Vietnamese People's Army. The areas where Vietnamese soldiers are deployed are remote, difficult, and fraught with dangers. However, in over ten years of participating in this special humanitarian activity, the officers serving in individual positions have demonstrated their bravery, determination, and professional competence to their international colleagues and friends.

The Deputy Minister of Defense has requested the three officers, upon arrival, to promptly grasp the local situation, immediately engage in their duties, fulfill their responsibilities effectively, and enhance their research, analysis, and forecasting capabilities.

 

Furthermore, the officers must thoroughly understand and strictly adhere to the Party's, State's, and Army's foreign policies; strictly observe the discipline of the Vietnamese People's Army, UN regulations, local laws, and regulations ensuring the security and safety of personnel and equipment; and always maintain military discipline throughout the mission.

 

Chiến asked the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department to continue maintaining, developing, and innovating to improve care for personnel involved in UN peacekeeping activities.

 

Speaking on behalf of the new peacekeepers, Hiếu affirmed that the officers will always unite, proactively cooperate with colleagues, and are determined to excellently fulfill the tasks entrusted to them. During the peacekeeping missions, the soldiers will strictly observe military discipline, UN security regulations, local laws, and actively contribute to humanitarian activities, promoting the friendly, humane image of Việt Nam and the characteristics of 'Uncle Hồ's Soldiers' to international friends.

 

To date, Việt Nam has deployed 799 officers and personnel from the military and police forces individually and as units to three peacekeeping missions and the UN Headquarters (including 792 military personnel and 7 police personnel). According to assessments from peacekeeping missions and UN agencies, Vietnamese officers have made significant efforts in fulfilling their assigned tasks, demonstrating professionalism and high discipline.

 

Vietnamese soldiers have also left many positive impressions on the leadership of peacekeeping missions, international colleagues, and local people through their specific, practical, and humanitarian actions. VNS