The first group of 30 Vietnamese military doctors will travel to South Sudan on October 1 to take over a field hospital run by the United Kingdom, whose personnel are about to withdraw.

The military doctors pose for a photo in front of Nha Rong Wharf in Ho Chi Minh City after they offered flowers to late President Ho Chi Minh ahead the departure. Photo: VNA

The decision was officiated in a memorandum between Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the U.N. Dang Dinh Quy and U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., on September 26, according to a statement on the Vietnamese government news portal.

Most of the 63 doctors were from the HCMC-based Military Hospital 175, and they will take over a U.N. field hospital belonging to the U.K. in South Sudan.

This will be the first time Vietnam deploys its military doctors as part of the U.N. peacekeeping forces.

Training has been held for the Vietnamese U.N. peacekeepers under the supervision of diplomatic representatives of the U.S., the UK and Australia and international specialists.

Vietnam has widened its presence in the U.N. Peacekeeping Forces to fill in more positions and attend more operations in Africa. As of June, 20 Vietnamese officers are participating in U.N. peacekeeping operations in Central Africa and South Sudan.

The country is also actively campaigning to be elected a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.

Asia-Pacific nations in May had agreed to nominate Vietnam to this position. Vietnam will join the vote in June next year.

If elected, it will be the second time Vietnam holds such a position after the 2008-2009 term./.

VNA/vnexpress