Kathmandu, July 13

Chief of Army Staff Purna Chandra Thapa has highlighted the leading role of Nepali peacekeepers in the United Nations mandated peace missions for maintaining peace and security in conflict affected areas.

General Thapa, who is in New York to participate in the third biennial Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference organised at the UN Headquarters, also expressed Nepali Army’s readiness to deploy more troops upon the request of the UN.

The conference was organised on the theme ‘Generating Capabilities to Meet High-Performance Requirements’ in UN peacekeeping operations with the objective of generating solutions to issues related to specialised capabilities and gaps, performance, training and increasing the participation of uniformed women in peace operations.

Defence chiefs and senior military officials from more than 108 member states and regional organisations participated in the conference, according to a press release issued by the New York-based Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, yesterday.

Earlier, General Thapa participated in a seminar on ‘Women, Peace and Security.’ While sharing his experience as the Head of Mission and Force Commander of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force in Syria in 2016, he highlighted the critical role of women in restoring peace and order in conflict affected areas.

He expressed his commitment to gradually increase the number of female observers, staff officers and contingents in the peacekeeping missions.

General Thapa also held a bilateral meeting with Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina J Mohammed. During the meeting, General Thapa thanked the United Nations for the trust and goodwill accorded to the professionalism of Nepali peacekeepers. He also informed the DSG that the performance of Nepali peacekeepers would be further enhanced to fulfil the mandates in an effective manner.

DSG Mohammed expressed gratitude to Nepal for its contribution to world peace and commended the professionalism of Nepali peacekeepers.

Likewise, General Thapa held bilateral meetings with other high-ranking officials of the United Nations.

More than108 member states and regional organisations participated in the conference