United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Major General Shivaram Kharel of Nepal as the acting Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). This follows the sudden death of Major General Francis Vib-Sanziri of Ghana on 19 April 2019. The Secretary-General remembers and honours the late Major General Vib-Sanziri for his dedicated leadership of UNDOF and service in the United Nations.

Major General Shivaram Kharel has had a distinguished military career at both national and international levels. He recently served as the Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Major General Kharel served in a number of high-ranking military positions, including as Director of Staff Duties, Policies and Plans in the Nepalese Army from 2016 to 2017, Brigade Commander from 2014 to 2016 and Military Assistant to the Chief of the Nepalese Army Staff in 2016.

"In addition to his peacekeeping experience with UNIFIL, Major General Kharel also served in the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara from 2012 to 2013 and the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2005 to 2006," said a press release issued by United Nations.

Major General Kharel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal, as well as a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the National Defence University, Pakistan. Major General Kharel participated in several military courses in different institutions, including at the Nepal Army College, Nagarkot, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, India and the Naval Post-Graduate School, Monterey, California, USA.

Born in January 1963, he is married and has two sons.