Delegates attending the opening ceremony pose for a group photo. Photo: People's Army Newspaper

Held until January 30, the course features instruction from Vietnamese lecturers with advisory support from Canadian lecturers. Participants are from Vietnam and other countries within the framework of Canada's Military Training Cooperation Program (MTCP), including Bangladesh, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.

The training course is also attended by officers of the Lao People's Army invited by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense. The training course aims to equip officers of the Vietnam People's Army, the Lao People's Army, and partner countries with the necessary professional knowledge and skills to effectively carry out their duties as UN staff officers in UN peacekeeping missions.

In his opening remarks, Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said that throughout the 11-year preparation and deployment of forces to UN peacekeeping operations, Vietnam has received valuable assistance from Canada and the UN.

According to Director Thang, the 2026 course is the first intensive international training program independently organized by Vietnam and representatives from the Integrated Training Agency of UNSOC will directly evaluate the training results. This serves as the basis for preparing assessment reports, proposals, and certifications of UNSOC courses organized by the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, making sure that they meet UN standards.

Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam James Nickel said that since Vietnam and Canada signed the Memorandum of Understanding on peacekeeping in 2023, Vietnam has hosted numerous Canadian-supported training courses, adding that Vietnam's engagement in a UN-recognized training program will be a significant institutional achievement and demonstrates the country’s capacity and long-term commitment to multilateral cooperation.