Vietnam has learnt a lot from one year joining the United Nations peacekeeping mission and is ready to contribute more actively to peacekeeping activities, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh told a conference in Hanoi on May 23.

Summing up Vietnam’s one-year participation in the UN peacekeeping activities, he said the country’s involvement in the UN peacekeeping mission marks a remarkable shift in mindset and a result of thorough preparations to join other countries in carrying out the noble mission of the UN in preserving peace and security in the world.

Vietnam highly values the UN’s role over the past 70 years in dealing with conflicts and conducting peacekeeping activities in many areas in the world, contributing to maintaining and safeguarding international peace and security, Minh said.

Describing the UN peacekeeping as a tough yet noble mission, the Deputy PM affirmed that the Vietnam People’s Army officers and soldiers will serve as messengers of peace to the world and people who are aspiring to live in peace, stability and prosperity.

At the same time, he said working for international peace and security also means contributing to Vietnam’s own peace, security and development, and the country will have more friends and garner more support to its the national construction and defence cause.

Minh also asked for more help from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to Vietnam in carrying out peacekeeping missions, and expressed his belief that Vietnam and the UN will be trustworthy partners working for lasting peace in the world.

In his speech at the conference, the UN Secretary General praised Vietnamese peacekeeping staff for their outstanding deeds despite of working in austere conditions.

He hoped that the Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre will keep up its good work of training capable peacekeeping staff.

Launched on May 27, 2014, the Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre is tasked with giving counseling, training personnel, and preparing, deploying and operating all forces from the Vietnam People’s Army joining the UN peacekeeping mission.

Vietnam’s first two peacekeeping officers were dispatched to South Sudan to serve as liaison officers and three others to the Central African Republic working as military advisors.

The centre has also sent cadres to overseas for training and workshops on peacekeeping efforts, and signed several MoUs on bilateral cooperation with several countries in the framework of UN peacekeeping.

At the conference, a project was unveiled concerning the building of new headquarters of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre on 7ha of land in Hanoi’s outlying district of Thach That at an estimated cost of over 215 billion VND (10.2 million USD).

The centre will accommodate a control house, lecture and training halls and accommodation for officials and trainees.

On the evening the same day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his spouse left Hanoi, concluding their official Vietnam visit.

VNA