Kathmandu: Nepal’s National Pavilion has been inaugurated at the venue of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), currently underway in Antalya, Türkiye.
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, who is leading Nepal’s delegation to COP31, inaugurated the pavilion last night. The pavilion, which reflects Nepal’s climate ambitions, showcases the country’s achievements in biodiversity conservation and community-based climate adaptation initiatives.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Foreign Minister Khanal drew international attention to the risks facing fragile Himalayan ecosystems. He said the threat of disasters associated with glaciers and the cryosphere was increasing, describing the recent Bhote Koshi disaster as a “Himalayan tsunami”.
He said countries on the frontline of climate change, including Nepal, were bearing a disproportionate share of the risks.
Khanal stressed the need for global cooperation to ensure climate justice, make financial support for loss and damage accessible and affordable, build resilience in the Himalayan region and protect downstream communities. He reiterated Nepal’s commitment to these efforts.
Health and Food Hygiene Minister Nisha Mehta and Sagar Dhakal, a member of the House of Representatives, among other distinguished delegates, also addressed the inauguration ceremony.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Khanal attended the opening plenary session of COP31. Türkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, assumed the presidency of the conference, while Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, took charge of the negotiations process.
On the sidelines of the conference, Foreign Minister Khanal also held a bilateral meeting with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos.
During the meeting, Khanal thanked the Ethiopian government and people for expressing sympathy and solidarity with Nepal following the difficult circumstances caused by recent devastating climate related disasters.
He said Nepal remained committed to advancing global climate action based on equity, shared environmental responsibility and multilateral partnerships during COP31 and under Ethiopia’s upcoming COP presidency.
The two ministers exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including climate change, the sustainability of graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, trade, air connectivity, tourism and people to people relations.
They also discussed ways to further strengthen the friendly and cooperative bilateral relations between Nepal and Ethiopia.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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