Advanced national security course concludes

The advanced course on national security, organized by the Ministry of Defense and the Nepali Army, concluded on Friday. The 16-day training, which started on March 13, had 29 participants from various ministries, Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, National Investigation Department, and media.

During the closing event at the Shivapuri-based Command and Staff College of the Nepal Army, Minister for Defense Hari Prasad Upreti emphasized the importance of security to a country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. He stressed that ensuring a fear-free environment for citizens is crucial for the country’s existence.

“Protecting and promoting national security and welfare is the major responsibility of every Nepali citizen,” said Upreti, emphasizing the necessity for dialogue, coordination, and collaboration among state bodies to formulate a unified concept for a robust national security.

Expressing his belief that effective implementation of the national security policy would strengthen both internal and external security, the Defense Minister noted Nepal’s unique challenges and geopolitical significance in terms of national security.

He emphasized the importance of addressing existing national security challenges by leveraging economy, diplomacy, communication, information, and military capabilities in the country’s favor. 

Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Prabhuram Sharma stressed the need for cooperation, collaboration, and integrated approaches among state agencies to foster a safe and prosperous Nepal.

“The scope of national security has broadened with globalization and the development of information technology. Further study and analysis of the positive and negative aspects of artificial intelligence should be conducted,” he said.

Throughout the two-week training, discussions focused on diplomacy, economy, national security policy, geopolitics, foreign policy, climate change and its security implications, strategy and plan formulation, humanitarian assistance, disaster management, and civil-military relations.

As part of the training, a one-day seminar on the impact of climate change on national security was also held on March 22, with the participation of 100 individuals, including experts and media personnel. Kamal Dev Bhattarai, Editor of The Annapurna Express also shared his views on the US Indo-Pacific Strategy and its implications for South Asia and Nepal. 

The ninth edition of this high-level national security training commenced in 2016 and has trained 222 people to date.