Vietnamese peacekeepers celebrate National Day in Abyei

In his speech at the ceremony, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, commander of the UNISFA Mission, congratulated Vietnam on its National Day, noting Vietnam had gone through many years of war and gained independence after enduring struggles, helping the people understand the value of peace.

He praised Vietnamese peacekeepers for risking their lives in a faraway land to bring local people peace, hope and a chance for a better life.

Vietnam has gone a long way and UNISFA is proud to be a partner of Vietnam, said the Major General.

Colonel Nguyen Viet Hung, commander of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force in Abyei, affirmed that over the past decades, the Vietnamese Party, State and people have constantly struggled to protect national independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, as well as the nation’s right to self-determination and the people’s freedom and happiness in the spirit of ‘nothing is more precious than independence and freedom’. 

For more than a year of deployment at the UNISFA Mission, the Vietnamese peacekeeping force has coordinated closely with agencies and units of the UNISFA to build a better Abyei land, helping local people enjoy better living and education conditions, stressed Colonel Hung..

Despite difficulties in terms of the climate, human resources and equipment, the Vietnamese peacekeeping force and the Military Engineering Unit Rotation 2 in particular will successfully complete all assigned tasks, he said.

During the ceremony, delegates were treated to cultural and martial arts performances given by members of the Military Engineering Unit Rotation 2. They also watched an introduction about Vietnamese culture and people, and enjoyed delicious Vietnamese food.