Foreign Minister Khanal calls Bhotekoshi disaster a stark warning from the Himalayas

KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has described the Bhote Koshi disaster as a “stark warning from the Himalayas to the entire world,” stressing the growing threat posed by climate change.

Speaking at the G7 Development Ministers’ Meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Khanal said a warming planet could erase decades of development gains within hours. He also highlighted the disparity between Nepal’s minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions and the severe climate impacts it continues to face.

Drawing international attention to the devastation and loss caused by the recent Bhote Koshi disaster, Khanal outlined five priorities for Nepal’s recovery and reconstruction: long-term international partnerships, easier access to climate finance, greater investment in disaster preparedness, flexible multilateral financing, and placing the Himalayas at the center of global climate action, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He called for coordinated international support through grants and concessional financing to facilitate sustainable reconstruction. He also stressed the need for climate-vulnerable developing countries such as Nepal to have rapid, simple, and direct access to financial resources, including the Loss and Damage Fund.

Khanal identified the expansion of early warning systems, climate information services, and community-based preparedness programmes as another priority. He also called for faster and more affordable financing through Multilateral Development Banks to help countries respond to recurring climate-related shocks.

He said the protection of glaciers, water systems, and the broader Himalayan ecosystem must become a central component of the global climate agenda.

Khanal expressed gratitude to G7 members and other friendly countries for their solidarity and support to Nepal during the crisis. “We must now translate international solidarity into concrete action, and shared responsibility into true climate justice,” he said.