KATHMANDU: Minister for Defense, Hari Prasad Upreti, has said security is essential to country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

It is also a precondition of good governance and development.

Minister Upreti expressed such view during a concluding ceremony of 16-day high-level national security training organized by Defense Ministry and Nepali Army at Army Command and Staff College, Shivapuri on Friday.

Country’s existence can not be ensured along with fear-free environment for citizens without reliable security arrangement, according to him.

He underscored, “Protecting and promoting national security and welfare is the major responsibility of each Nepali citizen.”

He pointed out the need of dialogue, coordination and collaboration among state bodies to make common concept for strong national security.

Expressing the belief that country’s internal and external security would be strengthened from effective implementation of national security policy, the Defense Minister mentioned that Nepal’s national security has its own challenges and importance in term of geopolitics.

He laid emphasis on the need of facing challenges of the existing national security by utilizing economy, diplomacy, communication and information and military powers in favor of the country.

Similarly, Chief of Army Staff, Prabhuram Sharma, pointed out the need of cooperation, collaboration and integrated concept among state agencies to build safe and prosperous Nepal.

“Scope of national security has become wider in the wake of globalization and development of information technology. Further study and analysis on positive and negative sides of artificial intelligence should be carried out”, he underscored.

During the two-week long training, discussion was zeroed in on diplomacy, economy, national security policy, geo-politics and foreign policy, climate change and its security challenge, strategy and plan formulation, humanitarian assistance and disaster management and civil-military relations.

A total of 29 people from different sectors, including ministries, Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, National Investigation Department, and media had participated in the ninth edition of the high-level national security training.

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