Vietnamese peacekeepers equipped with soft skills

A training course has been held recently to hone soft skills of Vietnamese peacekeepers who are about to undertake tasks at the UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and Central African Republic.
June 28, 2021 | 08:03
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Vietnamese peacekeepers equipped with soft skills
Fire can be made from dry tinder in just a few minutes. Photo: People's Army Newspaper

During the course, organised by the defence ministry’s Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Senior Colonel Le Dai Duong and other instructors from the Commando Officer Training School equipped ten troops, who came from different services and arms, with essential skills to stay alive in difficult situations.

This training course aimed to prepare the Vietnamese peacekeepers for survival situations when conducting challenging missions in risky areas in South Sudan and Central African Republic, People’s Army Newspaper reported.

It also helped the “Vietnamese blue berets” imagine possible challenges that they would face while carrying out peacekeeping missions in the future, so as to make good preparations before being deployed.

They were taught how to start a fire from dry bamboo sticks and tinder without matches. Making fire is considered one of the most indispensable life-saving skills because fire helps people stay warm, scare away wild animals and cook.

For strange plants, trainees have to smell them to identify whether they are poisonous or not.
Trainees learn how to identify whether strange plants are poisonous or not. Photo: People's Army Newspaper

In addition, the participating troops were provided with tips in searching for edible vegetables, tubers and fruits in the forest. They also learned how to identify poisonous plants and prepare a field lunch.

Major Nguyen Huy Hung said, while undertaking tasks at UN missions, peacekeepers will likely face unexpected and difficult situations, including transportation issues and natural disasters, that force them to stop or cause them to lose their way for a period of time. These soft skills will help them stay alive in critical situations.

Trainees also learnt how to navigate without a compass or GPS by observing the sun and terrain.

This is the tenth training course on life-saving skills for Vietnamese troops to be deployed to UN peacekeeping missions, according to instructor Le Dai Duong./.

The course attracting the participation of ten officers from difference services and arms
Officers from difference services and arms participate in the training course. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Vietnamese peacekeepers equipped with soft skills
Trainees are briefed on their missions. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Searching for edible vegetables, tubers and fruits in the forest is one of the most important skills.
Searching for edible vegetables, tubers and fruits in the forest is one of the most important skills. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Lieutenant Colonel Vu Thi Lien joining the training
Lieutenant Colonel Vu Thi Lien joining the training. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Edible vegetables, tubers and fruits found by trainees
Edible vegetables, tubers and fruits found by trainees. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Vietnamese peacekeepers equipped with soft skills
Trainees learn how to use available materials in the forest to keep them alive. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Senior Colonel Le Dai Duong equipping troops with essential life-saving tips
Senior Colonel Le Dai Duong equipping troops with essential life-saving tips. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Trainees are taught how to lay traps in the forest.
Trainees are taught how to lay traps in the forest. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Making fire is one of the most important life-saving tips.
Making fire is one of the most important life-saving tips. Photo: People's Army Newspaper
Vietnamese peacekeepers equipped with soft skills
Trainees enjoy the course. Photo: VnExpress

In its seven years of involvement in peacekeeping operations, since 2014, Vietnam has sent 53 military officers to South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

There have also been 189 Vietnamese officers and doctors joining Level-2 Field Hospitals No 1, 2 and 3 in South Sudan.

The peacekeeping force of Vietnam has made considerable contributions in the past, which have won the recognition and high evaluation from the United Nations and international friends, helping to promote the country’s stature and prestige in the region and the world.

Lieutenant Colonel Stéphane Pierrat, a European Union expert for peacekeeping sent to the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, told the Vietnam News Agency that the Vietnamese peacekeepers are “fully capable to join all the standards from United Nations”, and that they are proving their experience on the ground in South Sudan.

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Rosy Huong
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