VGP – Maj. Gen. Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operation, has officially assumed the hosting role of the eighth Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the ASEAN Peacekeeping Centers Network (APCN) in 2020 in Viet Nam.

VN to host 8th meeting of ASEAN Peacekeeping Centers Network

Viet Nam’s efforts have been recognized by the United Nations as well as regional and international friends. In 2020, Viet Nam will serve as the rotating Chair of ASEAN and organize many important conferences, such as the ADMM and ADMM+, while concurrently assuming the hosting role of the APCN’s eighth meeting and the Chairmanship of the Association of Asia-Pacific Peace Operations Training Centers (AAPTC).

This is the first time Viet Nam has taken over the important positions related to peacekeeping operations. The event not only shows Viet Nam’s readiness for joint international and regional affairs, but also offers an opportunity for the Viet Nam People’s Army to build the image of Viet Nam as a responsible member of ASEAN and the United Nations.

The seventh AGM of the APCN took place in Malaysia from September 2 to 6, with the participation of 24 delegates from ASEAN member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat.  

Presentations at the conference focused on the topics: ASEAN regional security structure and importance for Malaysia; the contents of the ASEAN commander advisory exercise in the following years; women, peace and security; and the establishment of standards centers on gender equality training in security activities.

On September 6, within the framework of the seventh AGM of the APCN, Maj. Gen. Hoang Kim Phung officially took over the hosting role of the APCN’s eighth AGM in 2020 in Viet Nam.

In an interview granted to the Viet Nam News Agency, Phung said that the APCN aims to strengthen cooperation on the issues related to peacekeeping operations and enhance the ability to coordinate in implementing partner activities on peacekeeping operations between ASEAN member countries.

The APCN also seeks to establish close links between ASEAN member nations to facilitate the rapid sharing of information and good lessons learned about peacekeeping operations and to support the peacekeeping centers of ASEAN countries in improving training capabilities and preparing forces to join the UN peacekeeping operations.

Maj. Gen. Phung emphasized that Viet Nam has repeatedly pledged to actively participate in UN peacekeeping activities as well as cooperating to enhance ASEAN’s peacekeeping capabilities.