KATHMANDU: Prime Minister (PM) Balendra Shah (Balen) is scheduled to address the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 24.
The high-level general debate of the UNGA will be held from September 22 to 28 in New York, the United States.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the theme of this year’s General Assembly is “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.” According to information received from the UN, the General Assembly will be addressed by 81 heads of state and 50 heads of government, including Nepal’s prime minister.
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said this year’s UNGA would provide an important opportunity for Nepal to present the government’s priority agendas to the international community following last year’s Gen Z movement, the subsequent elections, and the government’s strong mandate. He said the gathering would also serve as an important platform for Nepal to seek and promote international support and goodwill.
Rai made the remarks at a press conference organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday to brief the media about Prime Minister Shah’s upcoming visit to the United States to attend and address the 81st session of the UNGA.
Referring to the Bhotekoshi flash floods of August 26, which caused irreparable losses, Rai said the disaster had further demonstrated Nepal’s vulnerability to climate change. “Despite having a negligible role in greenhouse gas emissions, countries like Nepal are suffering the worst impacts of climate change,” he said.
Rai said Prime Minister Shah would draw the international community’s attention to the recurring loss of lives and property caused by climate change.
The government plans to call on the international community to ensure climate justice for Nepal, including emergency support and adequate compensation through the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). According to Rai, Nepal will also appeal to developed countries to facilitate technology transfer and provide climate finance on concessional terms through easier procedures so that the country can build climate-resilient infrastructure, promote climate-friendly agriculture, and strengthen the capacity of relevant stakeholders.
Nepal will also highlight its contribution to the global environment through its nature-friendly lifestyle, more than 46 percent forest coverage, the Himalayas, and its river systems.
Nepal is planning to organise a side event on climate resilience during the UNGA. It will also participate in various other side events and high-level discussions organised on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal is scheduled to attend ministerial meetings of the least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Group of 77 and China.
The Nepali delegation led by Prime Minister Shah will include Foreign Minister Khanal, the Prime Minister’s Principal Adviser Kumar Byanjankar, Foreign Secretary Rai, and other senior government officials.
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