The Vietnam Engineering Team said that on September 21-22, a working delegation of the UNISFA Mission led by Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, Acting Chief of Mission and Commander of the UNISFA Mission, visited and worked with the Vietnam Peacekeeping Engineering Team at Highway base.
Colonel Nguyen Viet Hung, Commander of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force at the UNISFA Mission and Captain of the Vietnamese Engineering Team, informed Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr about the unit's work in recent times.
Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr and the delegation visited the unit, especially the area where the Smart Camp project and model vegetable garden are being built.
On the evening of September 21, UNISFA Mission Commander Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr had an intimate meal with his unit, featuring traditional Vietnamese dishes. On the morning of September 22, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr met with all Vietnamese forces on peacekeeping missions in the Abyei region.
The UNISFA Mission leaders gave very positive assessments of the performance of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force, including the remarkable achievements of the Vietnamese Engineering Team. “You have transformed Highway from one of the worst bases of the mission into one of the units with the most beautiful campuses…”, the UNISFA Mission leader acknowledged.
He also highly appreciated the military-civilian activities of the Vietnamese forces when they not only performed well the professional tasks assigned by the Mission but also actively helped the local people. Even though they were only small tasks such as guiding people in farming and cultivating, or many activities such as supporting the renovation of roads, houses, classrooms, etc., they have partly helped improve the lives of the people of Abyei.
Writing in the Engineering Team's guestbook, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr said he was impressed with the quick approach to work, the quality of the unit's leadership, and the long-term orientations of the Vietnam Engineering Team.
The team has ensured the necessary technical support to help the mission in areas such as road maintenance, bridge repair, drainage treatment, container rescue and lifting, and smart barracks construction.
"You have shown yourself to be a highly disciplined unit, closely coordinating with all units, agencies and departments in the mission. The role of coordination within the unit and with the entire mission as well as the quick and effective response style to the mission's requirements have also been demonstrated in a smooth and professional manner. I appreciate your approach to local communities, closely linked to the tradition and identity of the Vietnam People's Army...", he wrote in the guestbook.
He expressed his belief that the Vietnamese Engineering Team will operate effectively at the mission and asked the team to maintain the "very good working attitude" so that the Vietnamese flag and the UN flag will always fly. "I had a very enjoyable night at Highway Camp, where the Vietnamese Engineering Team is stationed," he added.
During the working trip, the Mission Commander also attended a regular film screening for children organized by the Vietnam Engineering Team at Abyei Church and attended a sports exchange between the Vietnam Engineering Team and the Level 2 Field Hospital of Ghana.
Abyei is a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan. In 2011, the two countries signed an agreement 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 not made much substantive progress. UNISFA was established in 2011 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1990 with a mandate to protect civilians and promote demilitarization in Abyei. |
Photo: Vietnam Engineering Team
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