Vietnam calls for enhancing security, safety and the role of women in UN peacekeeping operations

The Vietnamese representative called on the United Nations (UN) to continue strengthening its partnership in the field of peacekeeping with regional organizations, including ASEAN.

Overview of the meeting.

On February 20, in New York - USA, the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) held a plenary session on UN peacekeeping operations in 2024.

Attending the meeting were the President of the UN General Assembly, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, leaders of a number of relevant organizations and representatives of more than 120 countries sending troops and police to participate in UN peacekeeping operations.

In his opening speech, General Assembly President Dennis Francis affirmed that peacekeeping is an important tool of the UN to maintain peace, security and protect civilians, and emphasized the contributions and sacrifices of UN peacekeeping forces over the past 76 years, in which 4,345 soldiers and staff have lost their lives.

In the context of increasingly complex international political and security situations, the C-34 Committee needs to have feasible and sustainable solutions to improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions.

Tham tán Công sứ Nguyễn Hoàng Nguyên, Phó Trưởng Phái đoàn thường trực Việt Nam tại LHQ phát biểu.

Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, Deputy Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, spoke.

During the discussion, Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, Deputy Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, emphasized the need to ensure security and safety for the forces and facilities of the missions, especially in the face of increasing risks of hostile actions and targeted attacks on UN personnel; and hoped that the missions would strengthen their medical capacity and protect the physical and mental health of peacekeeping forces.

According to Vietnam's experience, enhancing interaction and building trust with local authorities and communities is an important factor in reducing risks and creating a safer and more favorable environment for peacekeeping forces in the field.

The Vietnamese representative called on the UN to continue strengthening its partnership in the field of peacekeeping with regional organizations, including ASEAN.

As one of four Southeast Asian countries with an International Training Center designated by the UN to implement the Tripartite Partnership Program, Vietnam is ready to cooperate with international partners to improve the quality of peacekeeping personnel, especially in the pre-deployment phase. Vietnam also hopes to receive support and assistance from partners in the preparation process for deploying the first peacekeeping police unit in the coming time.

The Deputy Head of the Vietnamese Mission emphasized the importance of promoting the role of women in peacekeeping operations; calling on the UN and missions to create a safer and more favorable working environment for women to participate in peacekeeping forces. Vietnam is committed to maintaining the proportion of women participating in peacekeeping forces higher than the target set by the UN (15%), striving to reach 20% by 2025.

C-34 is a specialized body of the UN General Assembly, with the function of considering, discussing all issues and proposing solutions to stakeholders in the field of UN peacekeeping.

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