On 24 Feb 2023, Brig Gen Shantosh Ballav Paudyal, Director of the Directorate of Peace Operations, graced the closing ceremony of the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations Contingent Commanders’ Course organized jointly by Nepali Army and Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI). A total of twenty student officers from the Nepali Army and ten from friendly foreign countries (2 each from Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) attended the ten days long course. The course intended to prepare competent contingent commanders who can assume leadership positions and operate in a complex and multidimensional UN Peace Operation Environment. The training team consists of three Subject Matter Experts led by Stein Ellingsen and a senior mentor Maj Gen (Rtd.) Baillaud Jean, the former Deputy Force Commander, MONUSCO mission. During the closing remarks, Brigadier Paudyal congratulated all participants for the successful completion of the course and highlighted the critical role of contingent commanders in ensuring the success of a peacekeeping mission. He then emphasizes that the contingent commanders must balance the needs of their unit with the larger mission objectives while working collaboratively with other military and civilian actors to promote peace and stability in the mission area. He further added that contingent commander is responsible for ensuring their unit operates within the parameters of the mission mandate, providing leadership and direction to their unit, and planning and executing their unit's peacekeeping tasks in accordance with the overall mission mandate.