Multinational Exercise- ‘Shanti Prayas IV’ begins; Nepal an advocate for peace and equality: PM Prachanda

Kathmandu / Feb 20: The multinational Exercise- ‘Shanti Prayas IV’ commenced at local Tundikhel in Kathmandu on the participation of 1,925 Nepali Army personnel deployed in the peace keeping operations at the call of the United Nations.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ inaugurated the event amidst a special ceremony held today.

The pre-deployment training for the contingents and individual soldiers before their deployment in various peacekeeping missions will be conducted at the Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre in Kavrepalanchowk.

The training, supported by the US Global Peace Operation Initiative, was undertaken in collaboration with the US Army.

Nepal hosted the inaugural Multi Platoon Training Event, Exercise “Shanti Prayas” in the year 2000 and since then, three successful multi platoon exercises have taken place, on the participation of military forces from various nations.

The event will run till 4 March 2024. According to the Centre, the objective of the exercise is to increase interoperability and peacekeeping skills at various levels before their deployment to the UN missions and operational level staff training ( STE). The tactical level field training event (FTE) and critical enabler and capability enhancement (2CE) are the key events of the Exercise.

At an inaugural session, Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Prabhuram Sharma said the participation of NA personnel in UN missions and other international peacekeeping bids is the priority of the NA. “The Nepali Army has given priority and importance to inclusive participation in peacekeeping missions, and the world has commended the bravery it has demonstrated from highly sensitive Golan height to the Sahara desert of Africa. We have a long experience and historical presence in global peace.”

Rachel Schiller, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Programs and Operations in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM), US Department of State said the US government has already invested 1.5 billion dollar since 2005 in nations contributing to the world peace and security for regional peacekeeping efforts. As she said, multi-dimensional challenges for world peacekeeping mission are rising and the US is committed to enhancing the effectiveness of the peacekeeping mission.

Nepal became a member of the United Nations in 1955 and since 1958, Nepal has been actively engaged in the broader spectrum of UN Peace Operations. Over the course of over sic and half decade, Nepal has participated in 44 UN peacekeeping missions and during this period, 167,000 Nepali peacekeepers have contributed to these missions and among them, the NA personnel number 149,890.(RSS)

Nepal an advocate for peace and equality: PM Prachanda

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that Nepal’s participation in UN peace operations has always remained an important component of its foreign policy, aimed at achieving and strengthening global peace and stability which has been well-praised by the global society.

“I feel extremely proud as I assert the fact that Nepal presently contributes the highest number of troops and police personnel in the United Nations Peacekeeping missions and has further pledged to deploy up to ten thousand well-trained and equipped personnel for UN Peace operations on request of the United Nations”, he said.

In his statement at the opening ceremony of exercise “Shanti Prayas IV” at a function held at the Army Officer’s Club in Bhadrakali this morning, he said Nepal contributes the highest number of women troops among all the UN member countries in its Peacekeeping missions. The government of Nepal will continue to give the highest priority to the United Nations Peace Operations and continue to support the United Nations in its every endeavour, he assured.

Stating Nepal has and will always vehemently advocate for peace and equality in international forums, he said Nepal’s commitments are rooted in its desire for peace and harmony in the world and are expressed through her participation in international treaties and agreements that promote disarmament and peaceful resolution of conflicts. “This is further manifested through our participation in the UN peace operations, where our peacekeepers have distinctly demonstrated bravery, compassion, and selflessness in their noble mission to protect and restore hope in regions torn apart by conflict.”

In the contemporary global landscape, peacekeepers face heightened and multiple threats due to the complex and multi-layered nature of conflicts, driven by various factors from ethnic tensions to terrorism among others, he said and noted that adapting to this changing scenario is a must as peacekeeping operations have evolved into complex politico-military-humanitarian efforts demanding a greater understanding and preparation on the part of peacekeepers. “It has thus become crucial to reassess how we deliver peace amid new complex challenges to maintain trust and legitimacy of the UN Peacekeeping.”

The Prime Minister noted that the significance of peacekeeping cannot be overstated, as it requires a deep sense of humanity, a profound commitment, and a readiness to intervene to protect the vulnerable. Peacekeepers have been embodying these principles, and their efforts have made a profound impact, often in the face of great peril.

He said that the multinational exercise emphasizes and reminds us of the necessity to continually train, refine strategies, and build strong partnerships among nations for the successful conduct of peacekeeping operations.

Extending a warm welcome to all esteemed delegates and friends from friendly foreign countries gathered in Kathmandu, the Prime Minister also extended honour and paid tributes to the brave peacekeepers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of peace worldwide.

He also took the opportunity to admire the steadfast commitment and dedication of all peacekeepers, who despite facing formidable challenges, continue to serve with valour and compassion. “Their contributions and sacrifices have not only brought honour to their nations but have also played a crucial role in the pursuit of global peace and stability.”

Prime Minister Prachanda expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Defence, and the Nepali Army for hosting the event, while also appreciating the support of the US Indo-Pacific Command – Global Peace Operations Initiative for co-sponsoring this significant event.

The onus of preparing credible peacekeepers lies on the contributing countries, thus apart from regular peacekeeping training; Nepal has been participating in and hosting similar kinds of multinational peacekeeping exercises in the past, the Prime Minister noted. RSS