ASEAN peacekeeping meeting wraps up in Vietnam
The 8th ASEAN Peacekeeping Centers Network Conference (APCN 2023) closed on the afternoon of June 15 after 3 working days in Hanoi, with the participation of representatives of member states and the ASEAN Secretariat.
Senior Colonel Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VDPO), said that after 3 working days with a high sense of responsibility of delegates, APCN 2023 completed its agenda, achieved the goals set out of further strengthening the Partnership for Peacekeeping Operations among ASEAN members.
The conference passed the minutes highlighting the results and progress of the APCN and agreeing on the direction and mode of operation of the network in the coming years.
It pledged to continue implementing the ASEAN Peacekeeping Partnership Plan of Action with the ASEAN Peacekeeping Staff Exercise (APSE) with a focus on building capacity and strengthening coordination to effectively perform tasks at United Nations Peacekeeping Missions, contributing to the international community’s effort to maintain international peace and security, said the VDPO director.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Rear Admiral Retino Kunto M.T. Opsla, Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces Peacekeeping Center (IAF PKC), highly appreciated the preparation and successful organization of the conference by Vietnam. “The warm and hospitable reception of Vietnam as the President of APCN has created conditions for this year's APCN conference to gain success. Hanoi, with a rich cultural history, is the ideal place to hold the 8th APCN event”, he stressed.
He said that the biggest goal of the APCN is to promote and strengthen cooperation among members through sharing experience, exchanging expert information and capacity-building activities in the field of peacekeeping.
He went on to say that the conference held at the time helped member states enhance their commitment to intra-regional cooperation and build strategic steps to respond to various emerging challenges. The conference brought about positive results towards peace and stability in the region through cooperation and mutual understanding on the basis of mutual respect in Southeast Asia, Opla said.
At the end of the event, the director of VDPO - APCN 2023 Chair, handed over the network's flag to a representative of Indonesia as Chair of APCN 2024.
