Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) On the morning of March 27, 2026, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense held a grand appointment ceremony in Hanoi, formally awarding the Presidential Decision and the Minister of National Defense Decision to two officers who are about to be deployed to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and the EU-Central African Republic Training Mission.
At the ceremony, the Ministry of National Defense read out and officially appointed Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Linh and Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thai Son to carry out international peacekeeping missions. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Linh will serve as the UNISFA Joint Military Operations Officer (SO JMOC)—a new position created by the United Nations for Vietnamese military officers, fully demonstrating the international community's high trust and broad recognition of the professional capabilities and execution level of Vietnam's peacekeeping forces; Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thai Son will go to the EU-Central African Republic Training Mission to fulfill the responsibilities of training advisor and coordinator, assisting in local security capacity building.
In his speech at the ceremony, Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Deputy Minister of National Defense, emphasized that dispatching officers to participate in international peacekeeping missions once again demonstrates Vietnam's credibility and proactive role in international affairs, and is of great significance in further enhancing the international image and influence of "Uncle Ho's Force." He instructed the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department to continue providing pre-departure preparation support for the two officers, ensuring that all standards, regulations, and policy benefits are fully implemented before departure, laying a solid foundation for the smooth conduct of the mission.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Linh stated that he felt deeply honored and proud to have received the trust and responsibility entrusted to him by the Party, the State, and the Army. He pledged to fulfill his duties to the highest standards, do his utmost to successfully complete all tasks, and demonstrate Vietnam's peace-loving national character and the spirit of its people to the international community.
Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Peacekeeping Department of the Ministry of National Defense, explained that the two officers dispatched had undergone multiple rounds of rigorous selection, possessing strong political qualities, excellent professional skills, rich practical experience, and had received systematic international environment adaptation training, fully meeting the mission qualification standards of the United Nations and the European Union.
To date, Vietnam has deployed over 1,300 personnel to UN peacekeeping operations and related agencies. This renewed deployment of key personnel demonstrates Vietnam's proactive commitment and strong sense of responsibility in maintaining world peace and stability, and also confirms the steady, professional, and continuously developing nature of Vietnam's peacekeeping forces as they deeply integrate into the international peacekeeping process. (End)
