Vietnam strives to perfect institution for UN peacekeeping operations

Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, head of the group, who is also head of the Defence Ministry's Steering Committee for Participation in UN Peacekeeping Missions, chaired the first working session in the framework of the event.

Representatives from relevant ministries and sectors also attended the session. 

During the session, regulations related to the group’s operation were introduced. Participants also agreed on contents of the implementation of UN peacekeeping missions in the time to come; as well as coordination, guidance, management and performance of UN peacekeeping operations that Vietnam will join. 

After nearly five years joining UN peacekeeping operations, Vietnam has gradually arranged forces in line with the Master Plan on Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping missions approved by the Politburo in 2012. 

Vietnam successfully sent many officers to two UN peacekeeping missions. 

To continue implement the plan, with the aim of sending a unit with many members to in UN peacekeeping activities, Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh called for more efforts to consolidate the Vietnam Inter-sectoral Working Group for Participation in the UN Peacekeeping Operations, stressing the need to transfer the management role of the group from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Ministry of Defence. 

The transfer will help carry out the work of providing consultation, management and direction for UN peacekeeping activities in a comprehensive manner in the context that Vietnam is expanding its participation in UN Peacekeeping Missions from the individual level to the collective level.

This will also enhance effective coordination among relevant ministries, sectors and agencies in the process of Vietnam’s participation in the UN peacekeeping operations. 

The Inter-sectoral Working Group, with a head, four deputy heads and members, is responsible for providing consultation on the arrangement of forces to join UN peacekeeping operations to authorized agencies; proposing negotiations on the signing of agreements with the UN; and boosting cooperation between Vietnam and international partners in the field.