Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Việt Nam People’s Army Senior Lieutenant General Phùng Sĩ Tân (centre) presented the President’s decisions appointing two officers – Captain Nguyễn Ngọc Anh and Captain Nguyễn Văn Nam – to join serve the United Nations peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and Abyei, at a ceremony held in Hà Nội on August 10. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of National Defence (MND) on Monday held a ceremony to hand over the President’s decisions appointing two officers of the Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) to serve in United Nations peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and Abyei.

The two officers are Captain Nguyễn Ngọc Anh, a logistics assistant at the Logistics and Technical Division of the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VDPO), who will serve as a logistics staff officer at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), and Captain Nguyễn Văn Nam from the Chemical Warfare Officers Training School under the Chemistry Corps, who will serve as a military observer at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the VPA Senior Lieutenant General Phùng Sĩ Tân hailed the achievements of Vietnamese military personnel in UN peacekeeping over the past more than 12 years.

He highlighted their efforts to overcome difficulties and successfully fulfill assigned tasks, contributing to enhancing the image and reputation of Việt Nam, the VPA and Vietnamese peacekeeping forces in the international arena.

Congratulating the two officers, Tân, who is also deputy head of the MND's steering committee for participation in the UN peacekeeping operations, showed his belief that they will uphold the traditions of the VPA and Vietnamese peacekeeping forces and successfully fulfill their missions. He also commended the VDPO and relevant agencies and units for their thorough preparations.

According to VDPO Deputy Director Colonel Phạm Tấn Phong, the two officers were selected based on their political and moral qualities, professional competence, military expertise, foreign-language proficiency, health, and ability to work in an international environment.

They have completed pre-deployment training and professional UN peacekeeping courses at home and abroad, covering peacekeeping operations, military expertise, work in multinational environments, security and safety, and handling situations in mission areas.

Anh previously served as an administrative officer with Việt Nam's Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4 at UNMISS from 2022–23, while Nam has received specialised training relevant to his upcoming role as a military observer. — VNA/VNS