180-member team, including 13 women, to deploy in two groups as Bhutan continues its contribution to international peace and security
Bhutan’s commitment to international peacekeeping continues as 180 Bhutanese personnel prepare to serve in the Central African Republic (CAR), following an audience with His Majesty The King in Paro on 7 October 2026.
The fifth United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNPKF) contingent, comprising 13 women, is scheduled to depart Bhutan in two groups on 8 October and 19 October. The deployment marks another phase in Bhutan’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations, reflecting the country’s continued engagement in international efforts to promote peace and stability.
The audience with His Majesty comes ahead of the contingent’s departure for an assignment under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). The mission operates in a country affected by conflict and insecurity, with a mandate that includes protecting civilians and supporting efforts to restore stability.
For Bhutan, the deployment represents more than the movement of personnel overseas. It continues the country’s contribution to collective international security while providing Bhutanese service members with opportunities to gain experience in a multinational operational environment.
Bhutan’s involvement in United Nations peacekeeping began in 2014, when the country started contributing military observers, staff officers and individual police officers to international missions.
According to the Royal Government of Bhutan’s State of the Nation 2022 report, the country expanded its engagement in 2022 by beginning the deployment of 180-member contingents to support MINUSCA in the Central African Republic.
The transition from individual personnel to full contingents marked an important development in Bhutan’s peacekeeping participation. It enabled the country to contribute a larger, coordinated team to an international mission while building on its earlier experience in UN operations.
The fifth contingent continues this engagement, demonstrating Bhutan’s sustained participation in international peacekeeping and its willingness to contribute personnel to missions operating in challenging environments.
Peacekeeping missions expose personnel to security challenges and operational conditions that differ from those encountered in their regular duties at home. Serving alongside personnel from different countries requires effective communication, coordination, discipline and adherence to established international procedures.
Such assignments can help Bhutanese personnel broaden their professional experience, strengthen their understanding of multinational operations and develop skills relevant to leadership and teamwork.
The experience gained abroad may also benefit Bhutan after the personnel return. Sharing operational knowledge and applying lessons learned through training can contribute to professional development and strengthen institutional capacity within the country’s security services.
However, the long-term value of these deployments will depend on how effectively the experience gained during missions is transferred into domestic training and professional practice.
The inclusion of 13 women in the 180-member contingent highlights their participation in Bhutan’s international peacekeeping engagement.
Their deployment provides an opportunity for women to contribute directly to an international security mission alongside their male colleagues. Their participation also forms part of the wider importance of ensuring that qualified personnel can contribute to peacekeeping responsibilities.
For Bhutan, maintaining opportunities for capable personnel to serve in such assignments can support professional development and broaden participation in international service.
The Central African Republic remains the focus of international peacekeeping efforts through MINUSCA, which operates under a United Nations mandate to support peace and security. The mission’s responsibilities include the protection of civilians and support for stabilisation efforts.
By contributing personnel to the mission, Bhutan participates in a collective international effort to address security challenges beyond its borders. The deployment also reflects the role smaller countries can play in multilateral cooperation by providing trained personnel to support shared international responsibilities.
Continued participation in peacekeeping can help Bhutan maintain its engagement with the United Nations while strengthening the experience of its armed forces. It also offers opportunities to reinforce professional standards, develop operational knowledge and build relationships through international cooperation.
As the fifth contingent prepares to leave Bhutan, the deployment marks another step in the country’s peacekeeping journey, which began with individual personnel in 2014 and expanded to full military contingents in 2022.
The contingent’s service in the Central African Republic will contribute to the wider objectives of MINUSCA, while the experience gained may support Bhutan’s future peacekeeping capacity. Its deployment therefore carries significance both for the international mission and for Bhutan’s continuing role in collective efforts to promote peace and stability.
