On the afternoon of 22/7, the Ministry of National Defense held a ceremony to announce the President's decision to deploy three officers to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quoc An, from the Institute of Quartermaster Research under the General Department of Logistics - Engineering, will serve as a Logistics Staff Officer. The other two officers are from the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Quoc Cuong will be an Operations Staff Officer, and Captain Pham Phu Hai will serve as a Civil-Military Coordination Officer.
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Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Phung Si Tan, presents the decisions to the three officers. Photo: Giang Huy |
Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Phung Si Tan, presents the decisions to the three officers. Photo: Giang Huy
The Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations stated that all three officers have completed UN-required training courses, including pre-deployment, staff officer, logistics officer, and military observer training. They have also participated in training courses abroad to enhance their expertise in their respective fields.
Two of the officers, Ngo Quoc Cuong and Pham Phu Hai, have previously served in the Abyei mission, providing them with valuable experience to quickly adapt to their roles upon deployment.
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From left to right: Officers Hoang Quoc An, Ngo Quoc Cuong, and Pham Phu Hai. Photo: Giang Huy |
From left to right: Officers Hoang Quoc An, Ngo Quoc Cuong, and Pham Phu Hai. Photo: Giang Huy
On behalf of the three officers, Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quoc An pledged their commitment to fulfilling their duties, adhering to local laws, military discipline, and UN regulations. The officers will proactively monitor and assess the situation on the ground to ensure the safety and security of personnel and equipment.
Abyei is a disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan, where a lasting peace remains elusive despite a ceasefire agreement signed on 20/6/2011. In 5/2022, Vietnam deployed its first Engineering Unit to UNISFA in Abyei. The third rotation of the unit, comprising 184 personnel, is currently serving there.
As of 5/2025, Vietnam has sent over 1,100 personnel to participate in UN peacekeeping operations in three missions in the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Abyei, and at the UN headquarters.
Son Ha
