The Ministry of National Defence held a send-off ceremony in Hanoi on the morning of September 22 for Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 8 and Engineering Unit Rotation 5 as they departed to undertake United Nations peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and Abyei.
Speaking at the ceremony, Major General Pham Manh Thang, director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said that Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 8, consisting of 63 officers and military personnel, will serve with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), while Engineering Unit Rotation 5 of 184 personnel will carry out its mission with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan affirmed that, as an active and responsible member of the United Nations, Vietnam remains steadfast in pursuing an independent, self-reliant and resilient foreign policy based on peace, friendship, cooperation and development, while diversifying and multilateralizing its external relations and proactively engaging in multilateral cooperation mechanisms to address global challenges.
After more than 12 years of direct engagement in this mechanism, beginning with the deployment of individual officers, Vietnam has gradually expanded the size, scope, areas, and forms of its participation while improving its quality. The country has deployed various types of units and personnel to serve in a wide range of positions, with more than 1,600 deployments involving officers, officials and personnel from the Vietnam People’s Army and the People’s Public Security Force.
On the occasion, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan expressed her sincere appreciation to the United Nations, countries, international organizations and partners for their continued companionship, cooperation and support for Vietnam in its peacekeeping operations. Vietnam looks forward to continuing to work with the United Nations and the international community to strengthen cooperation, share responsibilities and make increasingly practical and effective contributions to peace, security, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, Deputy Minister of National Defence, head of the Intersectoral Working Group and head of the Ministry of National Defence’s Steering Committee on Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations, urged officers and personnel of Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 8, and Engineering Unit Rotation 5 to continue to thoroughly understand and adhere to the Party and State’s foreign policy, strictly comply with Vietnamese laws, UN regulations, mission regulations and the laws of the host country; maintain firm political resolve and absolute loyalty to the Party, the Fatherland and the people; and remain fully aware of the honor and responsibility of being personnel of the Vietnam People’s Army while carrying out their missions.
