Nepal’s Participation in the UN peacekeeping Operations

Nepal has been one of the major contributing stakeholders in peace‐keeping missions of the United Nations by contributing a large number of army troops and police.

Quantitatively, Nepal is the sixth in rank among the highly contributing nations to peace missions in the world.

As of June 2013, Nepal has already participated in 39 UN peacekeeping operations around the globe contributing more than 95,000 Nepali peacekeepers including the military, police personnel and other civilians including doctors, engineers, etc.

Nepal has responded to every call of the General Assembly and the Security Council for the cause of conflict prevention and peacekeeping efforts immediately after joining the United Nations.

Nepal started its participation in the peacekeeping operations with the first involvement of the Nepalese Army in United Nations Military Observation Group in Lebanon (UNMOGIL) in June 1958 and the Nepal Police Force in Former Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR) in 1992.

Contribution:

Nepalese peacekeepers have been entrusted with assignments have been both at the headquarters (e.g. deputy military advisor) and field levels such as Force Commanders of various peacekeeping operations.

Nepal has conveyed its willingness to provide up to 5000 military peacekeepers at the request of the United Nations.

In 2008, Nepal observed the 50th anniversary of Nepal’s participation in the UN peacekeeping operations.

Nepal has signed the Memorandum of Understanding under the UN Standby Arrangements to contribute, at a short notice, 3500 troops including doctors, engineers, observers and headquarters staff and 200 civilian police monitors for peacekeeping purposes.

Nepalese peacekeepers have earned a very good reputation. International community has appreciated the performance of Nepalese peacekeepers for their loyalty, professionalism, dedication, and impartiality.

Challenges:

Nepal’s financial limitations place a heavy burden on its abilities to send troops with required logistics especially transport vehicles and helicopters etc.

Nepal needs to enhance the capabilities of the peacekeepers through persistent training to fulfill more complex and multidimensional mandates as required by new missions.

French‐speaking skills should also be promoted among the peacekeepers for the missions spreading over French speaking areas.

Nepal should consider promptly procuring necessary quality equipment to be supplied to the missions.

Nepal should also focus on gender balance in composing the troops being sent on UN missions.

Transparency in selection in UN Peacekeeping Operation.

Strong vetting (Examining) system should be developed.

Nepalese peacekeeper should provide a senior level responsibility in UN mission