Vietnam's growing influence within the UN signals a new era of global cooperation, as the nation takes on an increasingly pivotal role in peacekeeping efforts around the world.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General in charge of Peacekeeping Operations. Photo: UN
On September 28, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General in charge of Peacekeeping Operations, expressed the UN's strong desire to expand and strengthen its cooperation with Vietnam. This statement was made during the 79th UN General Assembly, where Vietnam’s General Secretary and President Tô Lâm attended the Future Summit and the High-Level General Debate.
Lacroix praised Vietnam's significant contributions to the UN, particularly in peacekeeping operations. He highlighted Vietnam's increasing involvement in UN missions, including the deployment of a Level 2 field hospital in South Sudan and a recent engineering unit to the UN mission in Abyei. Lacroix noted that the number of Vietnamese personnel participating in peacekeeping missions is on the rise, with both military and police forces represented.
“The quality of Vietnam's peacekeeping forces is highly regarded, and their growing participation reflects the excellent level of cooperation between Vietnam and the UN,” Lacroix stated. He further emphasized that the UN is eager to build on this cooperation, particularly in areas such as training and capacity building.
During the General Assembly, Lacroix met with officials from Vietnam's Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Public Security to discuss future collaboration. He mentioned that both sides have identified numerous opportunities to enhance their partnership, with Vietnam expressing readiness to deploy additional police units to UN peacekeeping missions.
Lacroix also pointed out that the UN is actively evaluating its peacekeeping strategies to better address current global challenges. He stressed the importance of Vietnam's continued participation and support in these efforts, highlighting that Vietnam is not only willing to maintain its involvement but also to increase its contributions.
Looking ahead, a ministerial-level meeting is expected to take place soon to further discuss the future of peacekeeping operations. The UN is hopeful that this meeting will generate new ideas to ensure that peacekeeping missions are conducted effectively and are aligned with the evolving international context.
In addition, Lacroix underscored the significance of the Future Summit, which recently adopted the Future Pact. He noted that this development is crucial for the UN's role in maintaining peace and security, especially in light of the global challenges such as climate change, conflict, inequality, and transnational crime.
“The challenges we face today require coordinated multilateral action, and peacekeeping operations must be prioritized and supported with greater political will,” Lacroix concluded.
Hoang Nam