‘Controversy on SPP exposed lack of coordination between NA, state agencies’

Kathmandu, Dec. 30

A policy review by the Centre of Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) has concluded that the controversy on the State Partnership Programme (SPP) has raised concerns on the credibility of the Nepal Army and lack of coordination among the state institutions.

Controversy emerged as the NA sent an official letter to apply for the SPP to the US Embassy in 2015 and again in 2017. There was no official letter that was signed between the two governments. The controversy surfaced when General Michael Thomas Flynn of the US Army visited Nepal to learn the status of the SPP. According to the policy brief of the CESIF, the concern was raised regarding SPP saying it was a part of the IPS.

Former Ambassador and Executive Chairperson of CESIF, Vijay Kanta Karna, said that mutual trust is lacking between the NA and other state agencies and SPP exposed this more clearly.

Speaking at a seminar on 'Geopolitics and role of military diplomacy', he said that great power rivalry has been shifted to this region, so Nepal has to advance its interest with pragmatic measures.

Former Defense Minister, Dr. Minendra Rijal, stressed on the balanced military diplomacy with priority to peacekeeping missions. According to him, military should be kept out of controversary.

Retired major general of the NA, Pawan Bahadur Pande, said that smaller countries are exercising better military diplomacy than the larger ones and peacekeeping is the most important military diplomacy for Nepal.

Retired major general of the NA, Purna Silwal, said that diplomacy and military diplomacy go hand in hand in promoting national interest in bilateral and multilateral relations. "Although Nepal's foreign policy promotes economic diplomacy, it is silent on military diplomacy," he said.

The CESIF study also suggested strengthening of the role of the defense attaché in deployed countries and they should be sent to the countries in the Middle East and South East Asia.

It said that Nepal should be cautious to promote its security interest and protect from being dragged into any military alliances.

Of late, Nepal's military, police and paramilitary force have been primarily supported by China, India and the USA. The USA wants to expand its influence with its IPS by engaging states through its instruments like Millennium Challenge Corporation, SPP, while China is expanding its presence through the Belt and Road Initiative.

India is also trying to accommodate Nepal into BIMSTEC, read the policy brief.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 31 December 2022.