KATHMANDU, Feb 21: The multinational Exercise- 'Shanti Prayas IV' commenced at the Tundikhel in Kathmandu with the participation of 1,925 Nepali Army personnel deployed in the peacekeeping operations across the globe at the call of the United Nations.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal  inaugurated the event amidst a special ceremony held on Tuesday.

The pre-deployment training for the contingents and individual soldiers prior to 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, with the participation of military forces from various nations. 

The event will run till 4 March 2024.  According to the Center, the objective of the exercise is to increase interoperability and peacekeeping skills at various levels prior to 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 the 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 dollars since 2005 in nations contributing to world peace and security for regional peacekeeping efforts. As she said, multi-dimensional challenges for world peacekeeping missions are rising and the US is committed to enhancing the effectiveness of the peacekeeping missions.

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.

 
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