At a session of the National Assembly Standing Committee (File photo/chinhphu.vn)

The draft law, consisting of five chapters and 29 articles, covers policies, regulations, and international cooperation mechanisms concerning Vietnam’s participation in the UN peacekeeping operations. The building of the law ensures constitutional compliance, legal consistency, and alignment with Vietnam's legal system.

Institutionalizing Vietnam’s external relations policy

Since 1996, Vietnam has made annual financial contributions to the UN peacekeeping operations and conducted multiple surveys to UN peacekeeping missions and headquarters. Since the first deployment of forces in 2014, to date, Vietnam has sent nearly 1,100 officers and professional military personnel to join the UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan (UNMIS), Central African Republic (MINUSCA), Abyei (UNISFA), and the EU Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA), and the UN Headquarters.

Vietnam has signed 10 memorandums of understanding with international partners, primarily the permanent members of the UN Security Council. In addition to its achievements in joining the UN peacekeeping operations, in the new phase of development, Vietnam needs a strong legal framework, policies, and mechanisms to ensure its more active and effective engagement in this global mission.

Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on National Defense, Security, and Foreign Affairs Lieutenant General Le Tan Toi has emphasized the importance of drafting and enacting the Law on Participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations.

"To fully institutionalize Vietnam’s policies and regulations in the 2013 Constitution, and fulfill its international commitments to UN peacekeeping operations, it’s  important to build and adopt the Law on Participation in UN Peacekeeping is essential. This law will provide a solid, long-term legal framework for the deployment of Vietnam’s forces in UN peacekeeping missions," said Toi.

The draft Law on Participation in UN Peacekeeping expands the scope of eligible participants beyond military officers, professional soldiers, and defense personnel to include government officials and civil servants. It integrates gender equality principles, introducing preferential policies and incentives for women to participate in UN peacekeeping forces.

Affirming Vietnam’s international commitments

As a responsible member of the international community, Vietnam has actively participated in the UN peacekeeping activities.

For over a decade in UN peacekeeping missions, Vietnam has contributed to humanitarian efforts, peacekeeping, and sustainable development. Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said: “Over the past decade, Vietnam’s peacekeeping forces have always left a strong impression wherever they have been deployed, fostering close ties with local communities while demonstrating their professionalism and expertise. Vietnamese peacekeepers have promoted the image of 'Uncle Ho’s soldiers,' and also the image of the UN’s 'blue berets' soldiers among the locals.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres once said peacekeeping is an important pillar of the UN-Vietnam partnership, highlighting the outstanding contributions of Vietnamese peacekeepers.

Participation in UN peacekeeping operations reflects Vietnam’s correct policy and humanitarian values. Establishing a comprehensive legal framework for this regard will enable Vietnam to actively and responsibly fulfill its international commitments.