Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien speaks at the event. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

At a meeting of the interdisciplinary working group in Hanoi on Tuesday to review Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping activities, Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien said Vietnam’s contributions were praised by UN leaders, the international community, and the commanders of other missions.

Mr. Chien, who is also head of the Ministry’s steering committee for participation in UN peacekeeping operations, urged relevant units to prepare field hospitals, sapper units, and independent officers to take turns joining the mission.

He underscored the need to take the initiative in human resources, and remove difficulties in medicine stockpiling and medical supplies for the units at the missions.

To date, the Ministry of National Defense has sent 520 officers and soldiers to the UN peacekeeping missions.

Vietnam’s sapper unit 1 was established in May 2022. After 3 months of operation, the unit is said to have completely changed the mission in Abyei, the disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan.