UN Appoints Nepalese General to Lead Peacekeeping Force in Abyei

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha of Nepal as the new Force Commander for the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The announcement was made in a statement from the UN spokesperson's office. Lieutenant General Shrestha succeeds Major General Robert Yaw Affram of Ghana. He brings extensive command experience to the role, having served in senior positions within the Nepali Army and on previous UN peacekeeping missions. UNISFA operates in the disputed Abyei region, which lies between Sudan and South Sudan. The force's mandate is to protect civilians, monitor the border, and support the local political process. The Secretary-General expressed gratitude to the outgoing commander, Major General Affram, for his service. He also thanked the government of Nepal for its continued support of UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.