Vietnam will host the eighth annual general meeting of the ASEAN Peacekeeping Centres Network (APCN) in August 2020.

Director of Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations Major General
Hoang Kim Phung (L) receives the flag to host the eighth annual general meeting
of the ASEAN Peacekeeping Centres Network (APCN) in August 2020.

The information was announced at the closing session of the seventh APCN meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 6.

Director of Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations Major General Hoang Kim Phung told Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Malaysia on the sidelines of the event that next year, Vietnam will play its role as the ASEAN chair, and organise a wide range of important events such as ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus. 

This will be the first time Vietnam assumes an important role relating to peacekeeping activities by hosting the eighth APCN meeting and chairing the Association of Asia-Pacific Peace Operations Training Centres (AAPTC), he stressed.

They show that the country is ready for international and regional missions. They are also a chance for the Vietnam People’s Army to promote the image of Vietnam as a responsible member in ASEAN and the UN, he said.

Vietnam has committed to proactively participating in the UN’s peacekeeping activities, and enhancing collaboration to improve ASEAN’s peacekeeping capability, he stressed, adding the country’s efforts have been acknowledged by the UN and international friends.

The APCN is to enhance peacekeeping collaboration among defence and armed forces within ASEAN member states. It aims to set up a close coordination among the nations to facilitate experience and expertise sharing in the field, and help peacekeeping centres in the countries enhance capacity as well as make good preparations for joining the UN’s peacekeeping operations, he said.

The seventh APCN meeting, which took place on September 2-6, drew the participation of 24 delegates from ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat. The meeting focused on regional security architecture; women, peace and security; and building standard centres on gender equality training in security activities.