An anouncement ceremony was held on Wednesday for the Vietnamese engineering unit rotation 1 and Level-II field hospital rotation 4 to be deployed to UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of National Defence on Wednesday unveiled the first military engineering unit and rotation 4 of level-2 field hospital to be deployed to Sudan as part of the UN peacekeeping mission there.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Major Hoàng Kim Phụng, Director of Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said that after the defence ministry received an invitation from the United Nations on September 21 to deploy a Vietnamese engineering unit to take part in United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), a mission created by the UN Security Council in 2011 for peacekeeping in Sudan, the ministry agreed in principle, expedited preparations and reported to the Politburo for further instructions.

The Politburo one month later gave its permission and appointed Deputy Defence Minister Hoàng Xuân Chiến as the leader of the engineering unit, comprising 184 people – with a 10-member leadership, two construction engineering sub-units with 34 officers each, one road and bridge sub-unit with 36 officers, one protection sub-unit of 30 officers, one maintenance sub-unit of 40 officers, along with one Level-I field hospital of 11 officers.

Two hundred and three officers, including 19 reserve members, have been sent for training at the Việt Nam Peacekeeping Department.

Up to now, the level-2 field hospital rotation 4 has been basically completed in terms of personnel, with 71 officers selected from different units across the whole army.

Major Phụng said the two units will provide humanitarian assistance activities, help the UN peacekeeping mission perform their duties, contribute to the public peacekeeping and reconstruction of the country, bringing peace and stability to the native countries, and at the same time contributing to the national defence efforts from early and from afar, in peacetime.

On behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence, Deputy Minister Chiến requested the two units complete preparations in all aspects to fully meet the criteria of the UN, continue to conduct training and improve professional capacity training prior to deployment.

Level 2 field hospital No. 4 needs to focus on COVID-19 prevention and control and implement professional standards in the treatment of international patients in South Sudan, while the first rotation engineering unit needs to focus on leadership, operations, skills in operating heavy construction equipment, ensuring professional security, safety and health of the officers the area, especially during the initial stages.

Chiến also noted the need to expedite the legal process, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the UN on the deployment of the first engineering unit before they are sent to Abyei.

With high political determination and ample experience thanks to the preparations and the deployment of the previous Level-II field hospital squads and the efforts of the units, Chiến said he believes that the Vietnamese military officers will again fulfil the mission.

Also on this occasion, the US handed over the transient instructor and students accommodation facility to the Vietnamese peacekeeping department.

The handover ceremony was attended by US Charge d'Affaires Marie Damour and Major Hoàng Xuân Chiến, along with representatives from military attaches of many different countries in Việt Nam. — VNS