United Nations Military Advisor Visits Vietnamese Military Engineering Unit

Vietnam is being acknowledged by United Nations military advisor Birame Diop for its efforts in carrying out the mission and exceeding the UN’s expectations, despite facing many difficulties regarding weather conditions and lacking facilities.

During his working visit and program at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), General Birame Diop, the Military Advisor in the Department of Peace Operations at the United Nations Headquarters, and his delegation visited Vietnam’s Military Engineering Unit Rotation 2.

General Birame Diop visits Vietnam’s Engineering Unit Rotation 2. Photo: Tran Thinh

Senior Colonel Nguyen Viet Hung, the Head of the Vietnam Military Engineering Unit Rotation 2, introduced the staff, functions, tasks, and the practical work of the unit since its arrival in Abyei.

During the meeting, General Birame Diop expressed his happiness to visit the Vietnam Military Engineering Unit and congratulated the unit for its achievements.

He praised the Vietnamese engineering force for transforming the highway into one of the most beautiful bases and highly appreciated the military-civilian activities of the Vietnamese force that have contributed to improving the local people’s living standards.

“We strongly acknowledge Vietnam’s efforts in carrying out its tasks, exceeding the United Nations’ expectations, despite facing many difficulties regarding weather conditions and lack of infrastructure… Your humanitarian activities, supporting the government and people of Abyei have touched the local people. The connection with the local people is the key to success, and humanitarian operations have enhanced the confidence of the people of Abyei in the entire United Nations peacekeeping force at UNISFA,” said General Birame Diop.

General Birame Diop and the delegation took souvenir photos with members of the Vietnam Military Engineering Unit. Photo: Tran Thinh

He also mentioned that the Vietnam Military Engineering Unit needs to continue upgrading arterial roads, opening new patrol and control routes as much as possible. Additionally, the unit should deploy the construction of smart camp projects for military units of countries stationed in the mission area. The Vietnam Military Engineering Unit must strive to overcome difficulties and challenges and perform its assigned tasks well to ensure smooth mobility for all mission activities.

During informal conversations, the UN Military Advisor emphasized Vietnam’s successful deployment of a high proportion of female soldiers at the UNISFA Mission. Vietnam has ensured the ratio of women according to UN guidelines.

Birame Diop thanked the Vietnamese female soldiers for their efforts in overcoming difficulties and challenges to perform their assigned tasks well.

According to the People’s Army Newspaper, Military Engineering Unit Rotation 2 arrived in the UN peacekeeping mission on August 12. The unit brought about 300 tonnes of supplies, including equipment, machinery, and food, to serve the performance of duties and daily needs for one year of work.

The unit, consisting of 203 members, was established in November 2022 under a decision of the Ministry of National Defence. A UN inspection team recently inspected all the major equipment, self-sustaining equipment, and infrastructure provided by the UN for the Military Engineering Unit Rotation 2. The inspection results showed that the unit met all the criteria in technical, logistics, maintenance, information, military medical aspects, and more, in line with UN standards.