Vietnam has reaffirmed its growing credibility and leadership in United Nations peacekeeping training in the region with the launch of the United Nations Staff Officer Course 2026 (UNSOC 2026), supported by Canada.
The opening ceremony was held on January 12 at the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defence. The course runs from January 3 to 30 and is jointly delivered by Vietnamese instructors, with advisory support from Canadian trainers.
Participants include officers from the Vietnam People’s Army and international trainees from countries participating in Canada’s Military Training and Cooperation Programme (MTCP), namely Bangladesh, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste. The course also welcomes officers from the Lao People’s Army at the invitation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence.
In his opening remarks, Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, highlighted that over the more than 11 years of Vietnam’s engagement in UN peacekeeping activities, the country has consistently received strong and valuable support from Canada and the UN, particularly in training and capacity-building.
He noted that bilateral defence cooperation between Vietnam and Canada in UN peacekeeping has developed in an increasingly substantive and effective manner in recent years, and UNSOC 2026 stands as a vivid demonstration of this strong partnership.
According to Thang, the course holds special significance as it is the first advanced international peacekeeping training programme fully organised and managed by Vietnam. Importantly, it is being directly assessed by the UN Integrated Training Service under the UN Department of Peace Operations, forming the basis for evaluation, recommendations and potential certification of UNSOC courses conducted by Vietnam as meeting UN standards.
The training aims to equip officers of the Vietnam People’s Army, the Lao People’s Army and MTCP partner countries with essential professional knowledge and skills, enabling them to effectively perform duties as UN staff officers at peacekeeping missions worldwide.
Beyond its immediate training objectives, UNSOC 2026 is expected to further enhance Vietnam’s professional capacity, organisational and operational competence in delivering advanced international training courses, while also fostering a contingent of high-quality instructors. The programme also contributes to strengthening practical cooperation and friendship among Vietnam, Laos, Canada and other international partners in UN peacekeeping.
Thang expressed confidence that, built on strong cooperative foundations and thorough preparations, UNSOC 2026 would be successfully conducted and officially recognised by the UN.
Speaking at the ceremony, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam James Nickel described UNSOC 2026 as clear evidence of the increasingly substantive, reliable and trust-based partnership between Canada and Vietnam in contributing to international peace and security.
He thanked the Vietnam People’s Army, particularly the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, for its close and effective coordination in organising the course, and praised Vietnam’s professionalism and sense of responsibility.
Nickel noted that since the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on peacekeeping cooperation in 2023, Vietnam has played a more prominent role by hosting multiple Canada-supported training courses, thereby affirming its standing as a regional hub for UN peacekeeping training in line with UN priorities.
He said that Canada is proud to have accompanied Vietnam throughout the development and validation of UNSOC 2026.
Vietnam’s full ownership of a UN-recognised training programme would represent an important institutional milestone and a clear demonstration of its long-term commitment to multilateral cooperation, he added.
