Harinder Sood, Head of the Integrated Training Service (ITS), presents a certificate recognising the United Nations Staff Officer Course (UNSOC) organised by Việt Nam's Department of Peacekeeping Operations as meeting UN pre-deployment training standards. — Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese peacekeeping forces

HÀ NỘI — The United Nations (UN) on March 11 officially granted certification to the United Nations Staff Officer Course (UNSOC) organised by the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, recognising it as meeting UN pre-deployment training standards.

Harinder Sood, Head of the Integrated Training Service under the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), presented the certificate to Colonel Nguyễn Đức Quân, Việt Nam’s Military Attaché to the UN.

This marks the first time a Vietnamese peacekeeping training course has been recognised by the UN as meeting its standards, representing a significant milestone in the country’s training capacity and international integration in the peacekeeping field.

The recognition highlights not only the professional achievements of the organising unit but also Việt Nam’s capability, responsibility and credibility in fulfilling international commitments to peace and security.

With the UNSOC course now certified, Việt Nam has become one of about 50 countries worldwide, 14 in the Asia–Pacific region and four in Southeast Asia to have a UN-standard peacekeeping training programme. In the 2025–2026 fiscal year, when the UN planned to evaluate no more than eight training courses globally, Việt Nam’s course was among six selected for certification.

Major General Phạm Mạnh Thắng, Director of Việt Nam's Department of Peacekeeping Operations, speaks at the opening ceremony of the 2026 United Nations Staff Officer Course (UNSOC).

The achievement underscores Việt Nam’s growing professional capacity to train peacekeeping personnel in line with international standards. Since deploying its first officers to UN missions, Việt Nam has steadily built a peacekeeping force that is professionally competent and increasingly experienced. The certification of the UNSOC course marks another milestone in this journey, reflecting Việt Nam’s role not only in maintaining peace but also in contributing to peacebuilding through expertise and experience.

At the national level, the recognition represents a qualitative step forward, shifting Việt Nam from a participant to a more proactive and substantive contributor to international peacekeeping activities. It also opens opportunities for the country to become a regional training hub, sharing knowledge and experience with partners in the Asia–Pacific region.

The recognition further demonstrates Việt Nam’s strong political commitment to implementing the UN’s Action for Peacekeeping (A4P and A4P+) initiatives aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations.

Delegates, instructors and trainees at the closing ceremony of the 2026 United Nations Staff Officer Course (UNSOC).

Amid a complex and evolving global environment, Việt Nam’s active and responsible engagement in international peacekeeping efforts reflects its consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and commitment to peace, with cooperation and development as key pillars. — VNA/VNS