Kathmandu, 19 Sep: Global interest has grown significantly as Nepal prepares to participate in the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) under the leadership of Prime Minister Balendra Shah. Speaking to Gorkhapatra Daily, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said there was considerable international attention surrounding Prime Minister Shah’s upcoming visit to the United States.
Minister Khanal said the Foreign Ministry was focused on ensuring that the issues Prime Minister Shah presents at the General Assembly are substantive and compelling. According to him, the ministry is conducting detailed analysis to finalize the language, evidence and procedures related to the Prime Minister’s address and Nepal’s proposal on climate justice.
“There is tremendous enthusiasm around the world regarding the Prime Minister’s visit to the United Nations. Leaders from various countries have been informally expressing interest in meeting him whenever their schedules allow,” Khanal said. He added that representatives of friendly countries in Nepal have also been seeking opportunities to meet Prime Minister Shah.
Previously, Prime Minister Shah had announced that he would not undertake foreign visits for two years. However, following the recent disaster situation, he took a positive view of participating in the General Assembly and consulted with various stakeholders on how Nepal should proceed.
Focus on Climate Justice
According to Foreign Minister Khanal, the Foreign Ministry’s objective is to ensure a strong presence for Prime Minister Shah at the General Assembly. The government has sought the support of all ministries and relevant agencies to strengthen the visit.
The Foreign Ministry has been consulting experts, working to institutionalize climate diplomacy, and collecting evidence and documentation required to advance Nepal’s case for climate justice. Prime Minister Shah will participate in the General Assembly for only a short period.
Meeting with Guterres Planned
According to the General Assembly’s schedule, high-level discussions will take place for a week beginning September 22.
“We have adopted a strategy of not leaving the country for a long period during a disaster situation. At the same time, we intend to internationalize the issues arising from this disaster situation through the United Nations platform,” Minister Khanal said.
According to him, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also attached importance to Prime Minister Shah’s participation, particularly to clearly internationalize the impacts of climate change on Nepal and the country’s call for climate justice.
The Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Shah is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on September 24. Under the latest schedule, he is also scheduled to meet Secretary-General Guterres.
Although several senior foreign leaders have expressed interest in meeting Prime Minister Shah, the number of bilateral meetings is expected to remain limited because of his short stay. The ministry said, however, that additional meetings remain possible.
Prime Minister Shah is scheduled to depart Nepal on September 22 and arrive in New York on September 23. He is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 24 and return to Nepal on September 26.
Foreign Minister Khanal is scheduled to arrive at the UN headquarters in New York on September 20 to participate in the General Assembly.
“We are all members of this forum, so our objective is to clearly communicate our voices and needs there. In that regard, Prime Minister Shah’s presence itself will be very significant for us,” Khanal said.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Minister Khanal will take part in numerous side events, high-level meetings and bilateral discussions. Nepal is currently leading the group of least developed countries (LDCs) at the United Nations and will therefore lead several programs.
Nepal is also organizing a separate event titled “From Everest to Sea.” Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said Nepal would have a strong presence at a high-level session hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Seeking International Support
Nepal views the UN General Assembly as an important opportunity to build stronger international support. Along with participating in the General Assembly, Nepal plans to highlight the climate crisis and the impacts of climate change amid the country’s current disaster situation, while seeking greater international support for the future.
The government is particularly focused on presenting Nepal’s case for climate justice forcefully.
“The General Assembly is a powerful platform for bringing the suffering we are experiencing at this time to the attention of the international community. That is what we are preparing for,” Foreign Minister Khanal said.
According to the ministry, Prime Minister Shah, Foreign Minister Khanal, Prime Minister Shah’s Chief Adviser Kumar Byanjankar, Foreign Secretary Rai and other senior officials of the Government of Nepal will form part of the Nepali delegation.
