Vietnamese officers appointed to UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei
The Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony in Hanoi on July 22 to present decisions of the State President and the Minister of National Defence to three officers who are about to depart for duties at the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Abyei.
Presiding over the event was Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff and deputy head of the inter-sectoral working group, and deputy head of the Ministry of National Defence's steering committee for Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
Accordingly, Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quoc An was assigned as a logistics staff officer, Major Ngo Quoc Cuong as an operations staff officer, and Captain Pham Phu Hai as a military-civil coordination staff officer at the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The three officers will depart on July 27, August 24 and August 17, 2025, respectively.
Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VDPO), confirmed that all necessary preparations for the deployment have been completed.
He highlighted that the officers have undergone specialised training mandated by the UN, including pre-deployment courses and staff officer courses in logistics, operations and civil–military coordination. In addition, Major Ngo Quoc Cuong and Captain Pham Phu Hai have valuable experience from past missions in UN peacekeeping operations.
Sen. Lt. Gen. Phung Si Tan tasked the officers with upholding the Party and State’s foreign policy, adhering strictly to military discipline, UN regulations, local laws and VDPO protocols. To successfully fulfil their missions, he emphasised the need to protect personnel and equipment in a multinational environment, swiftly assess ground conditions, overcome challenges, and apply training.
Tan also urged the VDPO to continue strengthening personnel selection and training to ensure smooth rotation and consistent performance of its peacekeeping forces.
On behalf of the deployed officers, An pledged to uphold unity, cooperation with international counterparts, and determined effort to fulfil their duties.
UN Under-Secretary General hails Vietnam's contributions to peacekeeping mission
UN Under-Secretary General Jean-Pierre Lacroix on June 13 commended Vietnam’s increasingly active and effective engagement in peacekeeping operations and reiterated his consistent support for the country's efforts to enhance its cooperation with the UN in this field.
