Vietnam, India forge cooperation in UN peacekeeping

At the online workshop (Photo: qdnd.vn)Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Indian Centre for UN Peacekeeping sought measures to enhance cooperation in UN peacekeeping during an online workshop on June 17.

The two sides discussed measures to continue effectively realising a memorandum of understanding on collaboration in UN peacekeeping signed by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Deffence and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in 2016, as well as an agreement on the implementation reached by them in 2020.

They agreed to send experts to respective countries to exchange experience in this regard, and share information about the missions where Vietnam has deployed forces.

They considered the possibility to launch the Vietnam-India Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX) when possible, and put forth a three-year cooperation plan.

The two sides will step up the exchange of peacekeeping lecturers, and conduct joint activities between Vietnamese and Indian peacekeeping forces in South Sudan.

At the workshop, Colonel Mac Duc Trong, deputy head of the Vietnamese department, emphasised Vietnam’s commitments to playing a more active role in UN peacekeeping.

He called on India to further assist Vietnam in this field, and expressed his belief that the bilateral cooperation will develop in a more pragmatic and effective manner.