KATHMANDU: The Center for Diplomacy and Development (CDD) and Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE) organized a joint webinar on ‘Emerging Security Challenges in Nepal’ on Monday.
The webinar was moderated by Dr. Pramod Jaiswal, Research Director (NIICE). Mohan Krishna Shrestha, Founder President (CDD) and Former Ambassador to France started the webinar with his welcome remarks, welcoming all the four speakers.
Lt. Gen (Retd.) Balanand Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of National Defense University, Nepal shared the current situation of security in Nepal.
“We would like to save our nation. However, Nepal does not have an offensive strategy. Nepal has had a series of government and security has been the most talked and debated thing in the government of Nepal. But actually on the ground, much remains undone,” he said.
He added that the government of Nepal should be aware of how to lead a big force and how will it happen?
“Well, weapons cannot be procured not purchased in a day so is the training of the security forces. The question is, ‘How is it going to be implemented?” he questioned.
Likewise, Dr. Deepak Prakash Bhatt, Member of Parliament and Security Expert mentioned the health crisis caused by COVID-19 as the major threat or challenge to the security in the current time.
He added that our country has been through various transitions.
However, the situations are not always favorable and solutions are not always in hand.
“Political situation is also not always in the silver lining. All of the politicians and even the government are looking for stability, ideologies issues which have impacted the day-to-day governmental activities,” he said, “Every day there is lack of performance because of the transitional situation, 1st phase of a situation which is less transition or not always like minority or alliance government. This particular situation must be handled with human security such as food, health, and shelter.”
Dr. Bishnu Raj Upreti, Executive Chairperson, Policy research Institute mentioned in the beginning of his presentation as security is a complex, dynamic and comprehensive concept.
“Security is interconnected. Whatever happens in one part of the globe will eventually affect all part of the globe such as COVID-19 first found in Wuhan, China has reached out all across the globe. Nepal has also been directly impacted and territorial conflict is a major threat in the current time. The neighboring country India has been raising conflicts in the border which has a direct effect on Nepal,” he said.
Prof. Sangeeta Thapliyal, Jawaharlal Nehru University discussed the relation between Nepal and India wherein she mentioned Nepal being landlocked has shifted with changes of times.
“Last few years, there has been a shift in emphasis of landlock to land-linked. Nepal could be a transit from India and China & Nepal could be also be benefitted,” she opined.
Prof. Thapliyal made a remark that India was not really happy with the equal relation of Nepal between India and China.
There has been an expectation from Nepal which made Nepal more sensitive to India. Nepal has to manage the relationship with the neighboring countries and also handle the problems, she added.
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