Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Shanti Prayas IV, a multinational peacekeeping exercise jointly organized jointly by the Nepal Army and the US Army, concluded on Monday.
Issuing a statement, the Nepal Army said that the exercise was supported by the Global Peace Operation Initiative.
According to the statement, a total of 1,125 soldiers from 19 countries – Bangladesh, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uruguay, the USA, Australia, Canada, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam – participated in the exercise.
Addressing the concluding ceremony, Chief of Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma expressed confidence that the eagerness, dedication, perseverance, and hard work exhibited by the participants would enhance mutual harmony, cooperation, and coordination, making peacekeeping efforts more effective. “Despite the complexity and various challenges of conflict-ridden countries, we expect this exercise to enhance the professionalism, mutual relations, professional knowledge and morale of peacekeepers,” Sharma added.
Similarly, Major General Jered Helwig, Commanding General of the US Army’s 8th Theater Sustainment Command, emphasized the significance of Shanti Prayas-IV, which is among the largest international peacekeeping exercises, in the changed global context. “This exercise exemplifies the cooperation between the Nepal Army and the US Army. The US Army will continue to support the Nepal Army in its peacekeeping efforts in the future as well,” he added.
The exercise included various activities such as Operational Staff Training Event (STE), Tactical Level Field Training Event (FTE), and Critical Enabler and Capability Enhancement (2CE), which are based on the responsibilities soldiers undertake in peacekeeping missions.
According to the statement, Defence Secretary Kiran Raj Sharma, former Chiefs of Army Staff, Inspectors Generals of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, Chief of National Investigation Department, people’s representatives, senior Nepal Army officials, military attaches of different countries in Nepal, and representatives of countries that participated in the training attended the concluding ceremony.
