KATHMANDU: The United Nations has suspended the rotation and deployments of uniformed personnel, including individual officers and already formed, police and military peacekeeping units until June 30, in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

“Our priorities are to ensure the COVID-19-free status of incoming uniformed personnel and mitigate the risk that UN peacekeepers could be a contagion vector and simultaneously maintain our operational capabilities,” a spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

“A few, limited exceptions may be considered to continue to deliver on the mandate, but only in extenuating circumstances on the basis of strict conditions to prevent the spread of the virus,” he added.

The decision was sent to all countries contributing troops and police and to all relevant peace operations.

Nepal is among the troop-contributing nations to the UN peacekeeping operations.