KATHMANDU, March 31: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ishwar Pokhrel held a meeting with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Saturday.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the issues related to the UN peacekeeping, including its critical role in the prevention and resolution of conflicts in the areas of its deployment, according to Nepal's Permanent Mission to United Nations in New York.

While congratulating the UN for a successful convening of the Peacekeeping Ministerial yesterday, Pokhrel expressed his hope that a renewed collective commitment of the UN member states would help peacekeeping missions deliver effectively on their mandates. He also raised Nepal’s concerns on ensuring safety and security of peacekeepers for enhancing their morale as well as performance.

Under-Secretary-General Lacroix thanked Nepal for contributing its peacekeepers, without caveats, for more than six decades.

While noting Nepal’s inclusive policy for encouraging female recruitment in Nepali security forces, Lacroix congratulated Nepal for meeting the UN target of female representation in staff officers, military observers and individual police officers.

Both sides agreed that the participation from the troops and police-contributing countries at the senior positions, both at the UN headquarters and fields, would enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the UN peace operations in maintaining international peace and security.

During the meeting, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the UN Amrit Bahadur Rai, and other Nepali officials accompanied the minister while UN Under-Secretary-General Lacroix was accompanied by UN Military Adviser Lieutenant General Carlos Humberto Loitey and other high officials of the UN.

Pokhrel also attended an interaction program with the Nepalese business community organized by the Consulate General of Nepal in New York.

The minister is scheduled to attend an interaction program to be organized by the Nepalese community residing in New York today evening.

 
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