Members of Engineering Company Rotation 2 at the farewell ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI – A farewell ceremony for Việt Nam’s Engineering Unit Rotation 2 took place on Tuesday as they set off to carry out the United Nations peacekeeping missions as part of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Senior Lieutenant General Phùng Sĩ Tấn, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Việt Nam People's Army and Deputy Head of the Ministry of National Defence's Steering Committee for UN peacekeeping operations, presided over the ceremony.

Tấn urged all members to unite, overcome challenges, and successfully accomplish their tasks assigned by the United Nations and the Ministry of National Defence.

He reminded officers to uphold the image of the Việt Nam People's Army among international friends and local residents in the mission area, and contribute to implementing the Party's foreign policy and enhancing Việt Nam's position in the international arena.

Especially, officers must strictly adhere to the regulations of the UN and UNISFA, and the host country's laws, and comply with the disciplines of the military to ensure safety while executing their duties, Tấn said.

Senior Lieutenant General Phùng Sĩ Tấn encourages the peacekeepers to complete their tasks.

Major General Phạm Mạnh Thắng, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, stated that the Engineer Unit Rotation 2 had received specialised training in professional skills, military operations, foreign languages, and pre-deployment training according to UN guidelines.

They had been fully equipped with knowledge about UN peacekeeping, international humanitarian laws, conflict resolution, foreign relations, survival skills, explosive recognition and more, ensuring that all officers and personnel in the unit possessed the necessary capabilities to fulfil their assigned tasks.

The Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations closely directed the Engineer Unit Rotation 1, currently stationed at the UNISFA mission area, to conduct an inventory of all equipment, assess quality, report on operational capabilities, and propose maintenance and upgrade plans to meet mission requirements.

The department collaborated closely with the Engineer Corps to manage the procurement of supplies, equipment maintenance, and self-sustainability for the Engineer Unit Rotation 2.

A female soldier makes a video call to say goodbye to her family before the trip to Abyei.

Việt Nam's Engineering Unit Rotation 2, made up of 203 officers, including 19 females, was established in November 2022 under a decision of the Ministry of Defence.

The unit left together with about 300 tonnes of supplies, including equipment, machinery, and food, to serve the performance of duties and daily needs, for one year of working. Most of the supplies will be transported by sea, while the remaining 17 tonnes, mainly food and medicine, by air on a commercial aircraft hired by the UN.

In 2022, Engineering Unit Rotation 1 was deployed to the UN mission in Abyei, the first time Việt Nam had sent an engineering team to a UN peacekeeping mission. It also had the biggest number of staff members among the Vietnamese units sent to UN peacekeeping missions. All of its supplies, about 2,000 tonnes, were transported by sea. — VNS