Sen. Lt. Gen. Phùng Sĩ Tấn (centre), Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, hands over the depoyment decisions to four new peacekeepers (left) and congratulate the ones who have finished their duties at an event on December 16. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is about to send four more officers to the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, and thorough preparations are being made to help them successfully perform their duties.

They will replace the Vietnamese peacekeepers currently working at the UN mission.

To get ready for new duties, the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations has held UN staff officer, military observer, and pre-deployment training courses. Some officers have also been sent on overseas training courses.

Major General Hoàng Kim Phụng, Director of the department under the Ministry of National Defence, said there are advantages and difficulties in the deployment of the officers to the mission in the Central African Republic this time around.

Among the advantages, the personnel deployment to UN peacekeeping operations has received attention from leaders of the Defence Ministry, the General Staff, and the General Department of Politics, along with coordination from relevant agencies. The Vietnamese personnel at peacekeeping missions, including the one in the Central African Republic, have been making good impressions in the eyes of mission commanders and international colleagues.

The officers already working at the mission in the Central African Republic will also give assistance to the newcomers. One of the newly assigned peacekeepers also used to perform duties at another mission, and he will share experience with his comrades, the official went on.

However, he added there are latent security and safety risks. In addition, harsh weather conditions and dangerous diseases like malaria, cholera, and Ebola in the area the mission is based in are also considerable challenges to Vietnamese officers.

Despite difficulties, the Party Committee and Command of the Peacekeeping Operations Department believe that thanks to directions from leaders, assistance from agencies and units, and especially their resolve, strong efforts, and knowledge, the officers will fulfill tasks assigned by the Party, the army, and the UN, Phung said.

So far, the Defence Ministry has sent 516 personnel to UN peacekeeping operations at three missions and the UN headquarters.

According to the missions and UN agencies, the officers from Việt Nam have exerted efforts to perform duties and shown their professionalism, discipline, creativity, and boldness, leaving good impression on mission leaders, military forces’ commanders, international colleagues, as well as people of host countries. — VNS