One hundred and forty officers of the Nepalese Formed Police Force (FPU) were awarded the United Nations Medal at a ceremony held on Thursday, September 27th at its headquarters in Cap-Haïtien. The Nepalese FPU is deployed with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

The 140-strong Nepalese FPU, with ten women among its ranks, has been serving in Haiti since May 2012.

As part of their mission, the Nepalese peacekeepers -- in cooperation with their national counterparts the Haitian National Police (PNH), carry out patrols and ensure security at the civilian prison in Cap Haïtien. Furthermore, the FPU provides 2,000 litres of clean drinking water on a daily basis to the prisoners.

Nepal has been providing troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions around the world since 1957, and contributing police for the past twenty years.

At this time, Nepal is the eighth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to the United Nations with 3,980 military and police personnel now deployed.

One of the longest serving contingents in Haiti, the Nepalese peacekeepers have been deployed in the country since September 2004.