KATHMANDU: Prime Minister (PM) Balendra Shah (Balen) is scheduled to address the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 24.
The United Nations revised its list of speakers following a request from Nepal and scheduled Prime Minister Shah to address the General Assembly on September 24.
The revised schedule, communicated by the Nepali Mission in New York through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), has reached the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. Preparations for Shah’s visit to the United States are now being made accordingly.
The MoFA has received information from the Nepali Mission in New York that the Prime Minister’s address has been scheduled for September 24, and it has forwarded it to the Prime Minister’s Office, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official.
According to the revised UN schedule, 18 leaders are scheduled to address the General Assembly between 3 pm and 9 pm on September 24. The “Head of Government” of Nepal is listed as the 17th speaker.
So far, representatives from 118 countries have been listed to address the 81st General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. Most of the speakers are expected to be heads of state, heads of government or foreign ministers.
According to officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the Bhotekoshi disaster has led to preparations for Shah to address the General Assembly himself.
Shah is expected to raise issues of compensation and climate justice, particularly in light of Nepal’s vulnerability to disasters linked to global warming. Before the disaster, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal had been preparing to lead the Nepali delegation and address the General Assembly.
Officials said Shah’s visit to the United States is likely to be kept as brief as possible given the ongoing rescue and relief efforts following the Bhotekoshi disaster.
It has not yet been decided how many bilateral and other “sideline” meetings Shah will attend during his stay in New York.
The visit will be Shah’s first foreign trip in the five months since he became prime minister. During this period, he has not held a direct meeting with the head of state or government of any country.
During his stay in New York, Shah is expected to prioritize meetings with leaders from the United States, China and India, if possible.
However, a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not appear likely, as India’s foreign minister is listed to address the UN General Assembly. Similarly, Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to make an official visit to the United States from September 23 to 25 but is not scheduled to attend the General Assembly.
As a result, a meeting between Shah and the heads of government of neighboring India and China in New York appears unlikely.
Meanwhile, a Cabinet meeting hed recently decided that Foreign Minister Khanal would lead the Nepali delegation to the General Assembly. Following the Bhotekoshi disaster in Rasuwa on August 26, Shah decided to attend the General Assembly and deliver the address himself.
With Shah attending the General Assembly, Khanal will participate as a member of the Nepali delegation.
“Based on the situation so far, it appears that Prime Minister Shah will return after addressing the General Assembly, while Foreign Minister Khanal will lead other bilateral and sideline meetings,” the foreign affairs official said.
According to sources at the Prime Minister’s Office, Shah’s visiting team will include Chief Adviser Kumar Ben, Private Secretary Subash Sharma, Private Secretary Pradeep Pariyar and photographer Binaya Shakya.
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ United Nations Affairs Division Krishna Prasad Dhakal, and official Kumarraj Kharel are also expected to be part of the Prime Minister’s delegation.
Lok Bahadur Thapa, head of Nepal’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, will participate in the General Assembly as a member of the delegation.
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