By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar. 19: Status of a blue-helmet wearing Nepal Army peacekeeping soldiers in the world was improved, ranking the fourth among 122 countries in the Troops and Police Contributing Country (TPCC) of the United Nations. The TPCC status of NA rose to the fourth position from fifth position earlier.
In South Asia region, except Bangladesh, in the TPCC status, NA is ahead of India, and five other SAARC member states.
“Nepal Army is the second largest TPCC nation in South Asia after Bangladesh and has even left China behind in this regard,” Brigadier General and spokesperson of Nepali Army Headquarters, Bigyan Dev Pandey told The Rising Nepal.
At present, Nepal is contributing its UN peacekeepers in 12 different conflict-ravaged countries with a total of 5,658 deployment as of January 1, 2020. The data comprises of the contribution of Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force (APF), according to Pandey. Of the total numbers, 5,096 were of Nepal Army and 562 peace troopers came from the police and APF.
According to the Army Headquarters, Ethiopia is the largest and first TPCC status country in the world with a total of 6,639 troops at one time deployment.
Bangladesh is the second largest troops contributing nation among 122 countries with a total deployment of 6,413 troops, according to Pandey. The third largest country that is contributing its troops is Rwanda with 6,292 forces.
According to the NA, India is contributing 5,404; Pakistan 4,341; Egypt 3,113; Ghana 2,714; Indonesia 2,705; and China 2,544.
According to the Department of Peace Operation (DPO) of the United Nations, 82,863 UN peacekeeping soldiers from 122 countries are deployed in different war and conflict-torn countries.
Similarly, 181 Nepali women soldiers in the UN mission have been currently deployed in different missions, while 1,401 women NA peacekeepers have already participated in the UN missions.
Nepali Army had for the first time participated in the UN peacekeeping mission in 1958 with a participation of just five NA officials as observers in the United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL).
According to the NA Headquarters, so far a total of 129,899 Nepalis peace troopers have participated in the UN mission since 1958.
Besides deployment of Nepal Army in several missions, the NA is also getting some high posts in the UN Mission to lead several countries. Two weeks ago, Major General Ishwar Hamal of Nepali Army was appointed as Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). Maj. General Hamal had succeeded Maj. General Shivaram Kharel.
NA is basically contributing three types of forces to the UN: as Nepali contingents observers and staff officers.