HCM City(VNA) – The Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre and the HCM City-based MilitaryHospital 175 wrapped up a programme on level-2 field hospital equipment practicaltraining on September 19.

The practical training on equipment of Vietnam’sfirst field hospital model, set to join the United Nations peacekeeping missionin South Sudan in 2018, began on September 6. 

It saw the direct engagement of 69 officers andsoldiers of the field hospital, along with eight British and seven US expertswho have a pool of field experience in peacekeeping operations in South Sudan.

At the closing ceremony held at Division 317 ofthe Military Region 7 High Command, Sen. Lt. Gen. Pham Ngoc Minh, Deputy Chiefof the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, underscored that theparticipation in UN peacekeeping forces aims to realise Vietnam’s foreignpolicy of peace, cooperation, development, and multilateralisation and diversificationof foreign relations.

It is also meant to affirm that Vietnam is atrustworthy partner and a responsible member in the global community withactive and proactive international integration and practical contribution topeace, stability and security in the region and the world, he added.

[Vietnam’s contributiꦇons to peacekeeping operations appreciated]

Minh, who is also deputy head of the DefenceMinistry’s steering committee for Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeepingoperations, said the practical training is critical since it helps tocomprehensively assess Vietnamese peacekeepers’ capacity of deploying,operating, managing, commanding and dealing with medical situations and fieldhospital withdrawal. It was also a step to prepare for the UN’s pre-deploymentexamination before the field hospital is sent to the mission in South Sudan inearly 2018.

He also appreciated British and US experts’assistance for the practical training programme.

US Consul General in HCM City Mary Tarnowka saidher country always strongly supports Vietnam, helping it to be more confident,active and influential in assisting the international community to addresschallenges. Vietnam’s engagement in the UN peacekeeping force reflects not onlythe growing security partnership but also its determination to realise thecommitment to global peace and stability.

Meanwhile, UK Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Leversaid the UK pledges to continue assisting Vietnam by providing information,sharing solutions to challenges during the peacekeeping force deployment inSouth Sudan, sponsoring the foreign language skills improvement programme, andpromoting military engineers’ specialised capacity.

Since 2014, the country has sent 19 officers tothe UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and the Central AfricanRepublic.-VNA