Delegates attend the opening ceremony of the 2025 Military Gender Adviser Training Course on Monday in Hà Nội.— Photo qdnd.vn

HÀ NỘI — The 2025 Military Gender Adviser Training Course, the first to be co-organised by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Canada and Việt Nam, opened on Monday morning at the headquarters of the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defence.

Held between December 1 and 12, the course brings together participants from Việt Nam, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Senegal, Zambia, Mongolia, Thailand, India, Morocco, Malaysia, South Africa, Bangladesh and Nepal.

The programme aims to equip officers of the Việt Nam People’s Army and partner nations participating in Canada’s Military Training and Cooperation Programme (MTCP) with the specialist knowledge and skills required to serve effectively as military gender advisers in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

It also seeks to strengthen the teaching capacity of Vietnamese instructors on gender issues in UN peacekeeping while further promoting practical cooperation and friendship between Việt Nam, Canada and international partners in the field.

In his opening remarks, Major General Phạm Mạnh Thắng, Director of the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, emphasised the significance of the event, noting that this is the first time UNITAR, Canada and Việt Nam have jointly organised an intensive course for military gender advisers in UN peacekeeping.

The programme features the participation of officers from across the region and around the world, alongside UN experts and trainers.

He also said the initiative is particularly meaningful as Việt Nam deepens its involvement in UN peacekeeping operations, with an increasing number of highly qualified female service members.

The joint organisation of the course demonstrates Việt Nam’s strong commitment to the UN Women, Peace and Security Agenda, he added.

Thắng said that during more than 11 years of preparing and deploying peacekeeping forces, Việt Nam has continuously received strong and valuable support from the United Nations and Canada, especially in training and capacity building.

This year’s UNITAR- and Canada-supported course further exemplifies the growing cooperation between the sides in UN peacekeeping.

Expressing sincere gratitude to UNITAR and Canada for their support in organising the course, he said he hopes to continue receiving international assistance in the years ahead. 

He expressed confidence that, with strong partnerships, thorough preparation and the dedication of all staff, instructors, coordinators and trainees, the training programme will be a success. — VNS