Kathmandu, September 4: Prime Minister Balendra Shah is set to attend the United Nations General Assembly to inform the international community about the damage Nepal is suffering as a result of the Rasuwa disaster and the impacts of climate change.
Reports state that it has been confirmed that Prime Minister Shah himself will attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States. Prime Minister Shah is preparing to travel to New York with a small delegation, including Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal.
Earlier, a Cabinet meeting held on Bhadau 3 had approved a delegation led by Foreign Minister Khanal to participate in the General Assembly. Following the latest developments, preparations have now been made for Prime Minister Shah himself to attend the General Assembly.
Foreign Minister Khanal has instructed the concerned team at the ministry and the Nepali mission in New York to make the necessary preparations for managing the Prime Minister’s visit, according to reports.
At the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Shah will draw the attention of the international community to the impact Nepal is facing from climate change, including the Bhotekoshi floods. Discussions will also focus on seeking international support for climate justice for Nepal and assistance under the concept of ‘loss and damage.’
The UN General Assembly is scheduled to begin on September 8, while Prime Minister Shah is scheduled to travel to New York in the third week of September.
In the current circumstances, various quarters had suggested that Prime Minister Shah’s personal presence in New York and his address on climate change and its severe impact on Nepal would send a strong message internationally.
The view that Prime Minister Shah himself should attend the UN General Assembly was also raised at a meeting of ministers and experts organized by Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle at the ministry on Monday. The meeting was attended by Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam, Minister for Health and Food Safety Nisha Mehta, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadkaraj Paudel, as well as experts from various fields.
At the meeting, Finance Minister Wagle informed participants that a letter had been sent to the United Nations’ ‘Climate Change: Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.’ The letter was jointly prepared and sent by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment.
Climate scientists are also said to agree that climate change is linked to the main cause of the Rasuwa disaster. Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shah had said he would inform the international community about the impacts Nepal is facing as a result of climate change.
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