VietNamNet Bridge - On Tuesday, at the opening ceremony of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam praised the first two Vietnamese officers to be assigned to  the United Nations’ peacekeeping forces.

Two Vietnamese officers join UN peacekeeping force

Mr. Dam lauded the officers, who will be deployed to the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Sudan, as representatives of Vietnam, transmitting a message of their country’s peaceful aspirations.

Photo: Lieutenant Colonel Tran Nam Ngan has over 10 years of experience in the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Defense.

After more than 10 years working in the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Nam Ngan, 42, is very familiar with bilateral and multilateral negotiations. In dozens of overseas business trips as the interpreter for high-ranking officials of the ministry, Ngan had the opportunity to work with many people in different positions. He has also participated in receiving tens of foreign military delegations to Vietnam each year.

"As one of the two officers selected to represent Vietnam in the UN peacekeeping mission, I'm very proud and also feel a heavy responsibility because we do not only have to complete the mission with the UN but also the duties to the army and the nation," said Lt. Col. Ngan.

Graduated from the Academy of Military Sciences and working at the Institute of International Relations on Defense, Lt. Col. Mac Duc Trong, 43, will also participate in the UN peacekeeping mission. Trong studied at the Indian Army School. Upon returning home, he participated in the organization of many events of the Ministry of National Defense.

In 2005, Trong attended a training course of UN military observers in Australia. After the course, he participated in a course on peacekeeping of the UK and a training course on peacekeeping lecturers in Mongolia.

Photo: Lt. Col. Mac Duc Trong worked for many years at the Institute of International Relations on Defense and has many years of research on the UN peacekeeping activities.

As the first two officers of the Vietnam People's Army joining UN peacekeeping forces, Ngan and Trong have prepared carefully for their international mission.

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army of Vietnam, Mr. Vo Van Tuan, says that the two officers participated in many direct and online training courses on peacekeeping held by the UN. They are also trained in English.

"We are liaison officers who help the UN mission in South Sudan maintain contact with the international agencies and organizations there. With our work experience, we are confident that we can do our mission well," the two officers said.

Deputy Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh affirmed that Vietnam is a reliable and positive member of the international community and a friend of all countries in the world. Joining the UN peacekeeping force, Vietnam shows its responsibility to the international community though the country is still poor.

"Training officers with sufficient foreign language skills and professional knowledge, especially knowledge of peacekeeping operations is very important. This is the main task of the peacekeeping center in the future," said Gen. Vinh.

"We are fully integrated into the world community, not just verbally but through practical actions," he said.

Compiled by Tran Cham