Vietnam calls for strengthened women’s role in peacekeeping operations
VOV.VN - The need to ensure security and safety for the forces and bases of peacekeeping missions whist enhancing women’s role in peacekeeping operations was underscored at a recent plenum of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C34).
Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, deputy permanent representative of Vietnam to the UN, stressed the requirement, especially amid risks of increased hostilities and intentional attacks on UN personnel.
He therefore called on the missions to move to enhance their health capacity to protect the physical and mental health of peacekeeping forces.
As the nation’s experience shows, increasing interactions and trust building with local administrations and communities can be considered important in helping to reduce risks whilst creating a safer and more favourable environment for peacekeeping forces in the field, Minister Nguyen continued.
The diplomat also recommended that the UN continue enhancing peacekeeping partnerships with regional organizations, including ASEAN.
As one of the four Southeast Asian countries housing UN-designated international training centres for the Triangular Partnership Programme, the nation stands ready to co-operate with international partners as part of efforts to improve the quality of peacekeepers, especially in the stage of pre-deployment, he stated.
Minister Nguyen added that the nation is also keen to receive support and assistance from partners during the preparation for deploying its first peacekeeping police unit in the coming time.
Underlining the importance of promoting women’s role in peacekeeping operations, the diplomat appealed to the UN and the missions to create a safer and more favourable work environment specifically for women’s engagement in peacekeeping forces.
The nation therefore pledges efforts to maintain its female participation rate in peacekeeping forces higher than the UN’s set target of 15% whilst striving to raise the rate to 20% by 2025, he remarked.
In his opening address, Dennis Francis, president of the UN General Assembly, affirmed that peacekeeping is an important tool of the UN to maintain peace and security and protect civilians. He highlighted the contributions and sacrifice made by UN peacekeeping forces over the last 76 years, noting that 4,345 peacekeepers have died.
Amid the increasingly complicated international political and security situations, C34 needs feasible and durable solutions in order to improve the efficiency of peacekeeping missions, Francis added.
