The Ministry of National Defence is stepping up efforts to recruit and prepare high-quality personnel for senior positions in United Nations peacekeeping missions, as part of its broader strategy to enhance the country’s international engagement and operational effectiveness.
At a conference held in Hanoi on April 7, chaired by Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, participants reviewed recent performance and outlined priorities for the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations through 2026.
Thang commended the department and relevant units for their effective preparation and deployment of Vietnamese forces to UN missions, noting that these contributions have strengthened Viet Nam’s standing and the reputation of the Viet Nam People’s Army on the international stage.
He stressed the need to maintain activities, with particular emphasis on training and readiness for upcoming rotations of Engineering Unit Rotation 5 and Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 8. He called for meticulous preparation and organisation of deployment ceremonies, alongside strict adherence to military discipline and UN regulations to ensure absolute safety for all personnel in the field.
A key priority is to strengthen coordination among relevant bodies to build a robust pool of candidates for peacekeeping duties, with a focus on selecting highly qualified individuals capable of competing successfully for senior positions within UN missions and at UN headquarters, he stressed.
The Ministry’s Department of Foreign Relations was tasked with working alongside the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations to expand cooperation with the United Nations and international partners, including negotiating, extending and upgrading memoranda of understanding on peacekeeping collaboration.
Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, reported that since May 2014, more than 1,300 Vietnamese officers and professional soldiers have participated in UN peacekeeping activities in both individual and unit-based deployments, all of whom have performed effectively and maintained high discipline.
In international cooperation, Viet Nam has signed 11 agreements and mobilised over 20 million USD in external support to enhance training and operational capacity. Its peacekeeping training programmes, aligned with UN standards and conducted both domestically and abroad, are increasingly recognised as meeting international standards and gaining regional credibility.
