The final planning conference for end-of-term field training under the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations Cycle 4 (2021-23) was held on Wednesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

 HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations on Wednesday held the final planning conference for end-of-term field training under the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations Cycle 4 (2021-23).

The Hà Nội meeting was co-chaired by Col. Nguyễn Như Cảnh, Deputy Director of the department and head of the Vietnamese experts’ working group on peacekeeping operations, and Matsuzawa Tomoko, Director for Defence Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region at the Japanese Defence Ministry and head of the Japanese experts’ working group.

Participants discussed specialised and technical issues related to the final planning and a visit to the venue of the end-of-term field training as part of the ADMM Plus scheduled to take place in Việt Nam in September 2023.

The coordination with Japan to co-chair the ADMM Plus Experts’ Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations Cycle 4 is said to have affirmed Việt Nam's role, reputation, stature, and contributions to the multilateral cooperation mechanisms on UN peacekeeping operations in the region, and also helped enhance cooperation among the member countries of the ADMM Plus.

Activities during the co-chairmanship have also helped strengthen defence ties, including in peacekeeping operations, between Việt Nam and Japan.

On September 15, 2015, the two countries’ defence ministries signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in UN peacekeeping operations, laying the foundation for promoting bilateral collaboration in this regard.

In the Triangular Partnership Programme (TPP), Japan is the main sponsor and the UN Department of Operational Support holds the chair, with the Northeast Asian nation providing funding for training, equipment, and peacekeeping capacity building for a third party.

In particular, Japan and Việt Nam successfully held two training courses on operating heavy engineering equipment under the TPP in 2019 and 2020. — VNS