MAJOR-GENERAL BALA NANDA SHARMA APPOINTED FORCE COMMANDER OF UNITED NATIONS DISENGAGEMENT OBSERVER FORCE (UNDOF)

MAJOR-GENERAL BALA NANDA SHARMA APPOINTED FORCE COMMANDER OF UNITED

NATIONS DISENGAGEMENT OBSERVER FORCE (UNDOF)

Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced today the appointment of Major-General Bala Nanda Sharma of Nepal as Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to succeed Major-General Franciszek Gagor who relinquishes his post on 16 January 2004.

General Sharma joined the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) in 1969 and received his basic training at the Royal Nepalese Army Academy.  He is a graduate of the Royal Military Staff College of Camberley (United Kingdom) and of the National Defence College of New Delhi (India).  He also holds a M.A. degree in History from Tribhuvan University (Kathmandu).  He has held various military appointments in his country, both operational and in staff positions.  He served first in an Artillery Regiment and in an Infantry Brigade.  Later, as a Colonel and Brigadier, he commanded an Artillery Brigade.  He was the Commandant of the Royal Nepalese Army Command and Staff College where he was posted at an earlier stage as Chief Instructor.  As a General Officer, he had been the Master General of Ordnance, Director of the Military Training of the RNA and was a member of various Strategic Task Forces on National Security Policy.  General Sharma is currently commanding an Infantry Division in Western Nepal.  In 1980 he joined the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as the Assistant Military Information Officer.  From 1989 to 1992, he was the Defence Attache in Moscow.

Born in Nepal on 5 April 1949, General Sharma is married and has a son.

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