The 2nd Engineer Corps celebrated the 78th anniversary of National Day in Abyei (Africa), with the participation of more than 500 peacekeepers from various countries.
At the ceremony on September 2, guests were introduced to Vietnamese culture and people by the 2nd Engineering Team and enjoyed performances of arts and martial arts. In particular, the Engineering Team prepared 1,800 spring rolls with three types of fillings: beef, chicken and vegetarian to invite more than 500 guests to enjoy.
At the end of the ceremony, guests were given gifts such as hats, T-shirts printed with the Vietnamese flag and conical hats.
Members of the 2nd Engineer Corps perform to celebrate National Day in Abyei. Photo: 2nd Engineer Corps
Colonel Nguyen Viet Hung, Commander of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force at the UNISFA Mission, expressed his joy at the closeness and friendliness of international friends when participating in the National Day celebration with Vietnam.
He said that during the 78 years since President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, the Party, State and people of Vietnam have continuously fought to protect independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Vietnam has always actively supported and strived for peace, equal relations and prosperity in the region and the world.
During more than a year of deployment at the UNISFA Mission, the Vietnamese Blue Berets have coordinated with the Mission's agencies and units to consolidate and build a better Abyei region, helping the people here have better living conditions and children have a more developed education.
Admitting that the implementation of the upcoming mission will face many difficulties in terms of climate, human resources, and materials, Colonel Hung said that the Vietnamese Peacekeeping Force and the Engineering Team will try to complete all assigned tasks.
More than 500 guests attending the ceremony enjoyed many delicious Vietnamese dishes. Photo: Engineering Team No. 2
Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, Commander of the Mission, said Vietnam is a story of hope and change. “Having gone through many years of war and gaining independence through persistent struggle, the Vietnamese people understand the value of peace,” he said, expressing his appreciation for Vietnam’s active participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
At the ceremony, he also expressed his admiration for Vietnam being one of the countries with the largest number of female soldiers participating in UN peacekeeping operations. This important force is a bridge that helps the Mission to provide more effective support to local people.
The 2nd Engineer Team set off for Abyei on August 8, with 184 men. Abyei is a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan. The two countries signed an agreement on June 20, 2011, pledging to withdraw troops from the demilitarized zone in Abyei and establish a joint mechanism to resolve the issue. However, so far the two countries have made little substantive progress.
UNISFA was established in 2011 under Security Council Resolution 1990 with a mandate to protect civilians and promote demilitarization in Abyei, with an additional mandate to support the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) in Abyei under Resolution 2024 of 14 December 2011.
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