Fourteen officers of the Vietnam People’s Army this morning graduated from their English Language training course funded by the UK Ministry of Defence and provided by the British Council in Hanoi.
In this fourth year of the UK Ministry of Defence’s language training programme in Vietnam, the 14 officers received 354 hours of English training with the British Council during the 7 months since March. They are the latest of a total of 118 officers of the Vietnamese People’s Army who have participated in this programme since its inception in 2012.
All these officers are now equipped with the English language skills required to undertake professional and specialist staff training courses in the UK and other English-speaking nations, while some of the officers are expected to be deployed on United Nations Peacekeeping operations where they will have the linguistic ability to manage day-to-day communications in an international context.
Meanwhile, a more advanced level English language course is approaching completion in Hanoi with a graduation date for 17 officers in December, and the first ever English language training course provided by the British Council to the Ministry of National Defence for officers in the south of the country commenced recently in September and will run into 2016, where a further 18 officers are being trained in Ho Chi Minh City, also funded by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.
Speaking to the graduating officers at this morning’s ceremony in Hanoi, Group Captain Tim Below RAF, UK Defence Attaché to Vietnam said: “I look forward to awarding some of you places on specialist professional military training courses in the UK next year and into 2017, while I expect others among you to be prepared for deployment on Peacekeeping Operations as Vietnam expands its role on the international stage through the United Nations.
“The UK Ministry of Defence is investing in this programme to assist in the development of Vietnam’s military capabilities to contribute to global security and stability, while a planned further expansion of the programme next year is a mark of the commitment of the UK to supporting Vietnam’s military modernisation, and to Vietnam developing its role as a world player on the international stage.”