Hanoi (VNA) – The eighth ASEAN Peacekeeping Centres Network (APCN) Conference and Workshop opened in Hanoi on June 13 under the chair of Sen. Lt. Gen. Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army.

The three-day event helps affirm Vietnam’s role and responsibility and raise its international position in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping cooperation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), thus contributing to improving the effectiveness of member states’ participation in the UN peacekeeping missions.

Affirming that the Vietnamese Defence Ministry highly values the importance and significance of this event, Tan said that this is an opportunity for Vietnam and APCN member countries to exchange expertise and share experiences, lessons and initiatives in organising training and preparing for the deployment of peacekeeping forces; and at the same time discuss measures to strengthen cooperation, share training resources and effectively carry out operation at the UN peacekeeping missions, and make practical contributions to the common peacekeeping efforts of the international community.
 

Participants are expected to discuss and agree on the direction of APCN's activities in 2024 and the following years with the aim of strengthening the partnership on peacekeeping activities among ASEAN members; and promote cooperation and linkage, and improve capacity building in peacekeeping among them, thus contributing to joint efforts in building the ASEAN Community as well as in multilateral cooperation mechanisms on peacekeeping within the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM).

They are updated on the development of each training establishment, and discuss key issues in improving performance at the UN peacekeeping missions, such as ensuring security and safety of peacekeepers, enhancing the participation of women in peacekeeping operations, and protecting civilians.

On this occasion, lecturers and trainers on peacekeeping will have a separate discussion session to share new documents and experience in organising training, especially new training courses, share resources for cooperation, develop training plans to strengthen cooperation, and support the sharing of training resources in the region./.