UN Secretary-General praises Vietnam’s contributions to UN peace-keeping missions

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has highly appreciated the role and contributions of Vietnam People's Army officers in UN peace-keeping missions.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the conference. (Image credit: laodong.com.vn)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the conference. (Image credit: laodong.com.vn)

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The UN leader was speaking at a conference held by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Hanoi on May 24 to review Vietnam’s one-year of participation in UN peace-keeping operations.

Reports at the conference showed that despite difficulties participating in a new field with a large workload, the MoD and Vietnam Peace-keeping Centre (VPC) worked well on policies by the Party and the Central Military Commission on international integration, foreign affairs and defence to actively prepare and participate in UN peace-keeping activities. Accordingly, the VPC has increased its role as an advisory body to the Central Military Commission and MoD in managing, guiding and organising involved UN peace-keeping tasks by the Vietnam People's Army.

Established on May 27, 2014, the VPC after one-year operation has sent two officers on liaison duty in South Sudan and three others on military advisory duty in the Central African Republic. The centre's staff have been praised by UN missions for their sense of responsibility, ability and efficiency in performing tasks.

Speaking of Vietnam’s efforts and contributions to UN missions, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his pleasure at Vietnam’s plan to organise a field hospital to participate in UN peace-keeping activities, saying that it would bring more relief to those in need  while expressing Vietnam’s commitment to the world.

He also expressed his sincere thanks to strong commitments from Vietnam's leaders to support UN peace-keeping activities.

The UN Secretary-General said he believed that the VPC would train more qualified staff to participate in UN peace-keeping activities in the future and affirmed the UN’s continuous support to Vietnam in the field to facilitate the country on the road to share responsibility and realise commitments for a more peaceful world.

Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh affirmed that Vietnam highly appreciated the UN’s important role during the past 70 years in settling conflicts, contributing actively to safeguarding peace and international security, including the deployment of peace-keeping activities, in many regions around the world.

That success tied to the strict implementation of UN Charter objectives, adhering to the principles of peace-keeping operations with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-intervention in the internal affairs of the countries concerned. Vietnam fully supports the objectives and principles and is willing to contribute actively to these objectives, the Vietnamese leader affirmed.

On behalf of the government of Vietnam, Deputy PM Minh thanked the valuable support from the UN Secretary-General and UN agencies as well as other nations to Vietnam. He asked the UN Secretary-General create favourable conditions for Vietnam’s effective participation in UN peace-keeping operations.

The deputy PM expressed his belief that Vietnam and the UN would continue to be trusted reliable partners, to collaborate and contribute to ensuring peace and security in the region and around the world.

At the conference the MoD announced a VND216 billion (US$10 million) construction project for VPC (phase 1) in Hanoi’s Thach That district. The centre, covering an area of 7 ha, will include executive cottages, an auditorium, training and drop-off areas, and residential buildings for officers and students.