Image of Vietnam’s “blue berets” promoted to world
Vietnam’s Military Engineering Unit Rotation 1 has left good impressions on international friends in general and Abyei residents in particular during their one-year mission at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
As the first engineering unit of Vietnam to join UN peacekeeping operations in a new area, it overcomes all difficulties to accomplish assigned tasks. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s MilitaryEngineering Unit Rotation 1 has left good impressions on international friendsin general and Abyei residents in particular during their one-year mission at theUN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
As the first engineering unit of Vietnam to join UNpeacekeeping operations in a new area, it overcame all difficulties toaccomplish assigned tasks, and returned home on August 15.
The peacekeepers also played an active role inthe mass mobilisation work, providing health checkups for local residents, helpingthem grow vegetables, giving them educational opportunities, and buildingclassrooms and libraries in Abyei.
All of the 184 members have been honoured with the“For the UN peacekeeping cause” medal of the UN and commended by the UNISFAForce Commander and Abyei authorities for their dedication and contributions.
Colonel Pham Manh Thang, Director of the VietnamDepartment of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defence,said they have helped promote the image of Uncle Ho’s soldiers as well as “blueberets” of Vietnam to the world, and bring local authorities and residents andVietnamese peacekeepers closer.
Colonel Mac Duc Trong, head of the unit, reportedthat while in Abyei, the force built and upgraded nearly 70kilometres of roads, opened 15 new patrol routes with a total length of 303kilometres, built an airfield in Diffa, and engaged in humanitarian activitiesthere.
Meanwhile, Military Engineering Unit Rotation 2arrived in the UN peacekeeping mission on August 12, the People’s ArmyNewspaper reported.
The unit brought along about 300 tonnes of supplies,including equipment, machinery, and food to serve the performance of duties anddaily needs for one year of working.
The 203-member unit was established in November 2022under a decision of the Ministry of National Defence./.
Vietnam’s Engineering Unit Rotation 2 left for Abyei on August 8 to carry out the peacekeeping mission of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei. Members of the unit are fully prepared to conduct their assigned duties and responsibilities.
Vietnam’s Military Engineering Unit Rotation 1 returned home on the morning of August 15 after successfully fulfilling its United Nations peacekeeping mission in Abyei, South Sudan. The Ministry of National Defence and the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations warmly welcomed them home in a ceremony at Noi Bai International Airport.
The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on August 16 handed over the State President’s decision to deploy three more police officers to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
As the first engineering unit of Vietnam to join UN peacekeeping operations in a new area, it overcomes all difficulties to accomplish assigned tasks. (Photo: VNA) 
