Vietnam, which has contributed to the United Nations peacekeeping missions for the past six years, has expressed hope there will be a peacekeeping center in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of National Defense, at the event. Photo: H.T

“We hope that the United Nations will coordinate efforts to build the center in an appropriate form,” Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, Vietnam’s deputy minister of National Defense, said at an online talk with UN Under-Secretary General Atul Khare on July 10.

Vinh said that as ASEAN chair, Vietnam wants to expand cooperation of its peacekeeping force and such a center will provide training, experience sharing, and team building for regional peacekeepers.

The experience sharing will help improve capacities of military forces, military medical personnel, women peacekeepers, and in terms of language and law, Mr. Vinh said during the talk.

Some partner countries are supporting Vietnam’s idea and willing to join if the UN and Vietnam define appropriate an operation form, he said.

At present, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations under Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense operates a center specializing in training forces for the mission of military doctors wearing 'blue berets'. The training would be more significant if it is expanded with the support of the UN and member states.

Oveview of the online talk. Photo: H.T

Atul Khare supported in principle Vietnam’s initiative, asking the country to cooperate with the UN’s agencies to compile documents that define the center’s functions and structure.

Vietnam has participated in the UN peacekeeping missions since 2014. It has dispatched hundreds of officials to missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic, working in the Movement Control section at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Especially its Level II hospital in South Sudan covers the largest Protection of Civilians site in South Sudan which provides sanctuary to nearly 115,000 people.

At the online talk that drew the attendance of UN Resident Coordinator for Vietnam Kamal Malhotra, Vinh also talked about Vietnam’s efforts in fighting against Covid-19 in its peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic, and in ASEAN.

The UN official praised Vietnam’s second Level II Hospital for taking Covid-19 prevention measures and called on Vietnam to further assist the UN Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan.

Atul Khare affirmed that the UN will recognize contributions of peacekeeping missions including Vietnamese peacekeepers to the Covid-19 combat. The UN deputy chief congratulated Vietnam’s Military Medical University for successfully producing the SARS-CoV-2 test kit.