Kathmandu – Prime Minister Balendra Shah returned to Nepal on Saturday after participating in the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Shah left Kathmandu on September 22 and addressed the General Debate on September 24. This year’s General Assembly is being held under the theme, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.”
During his address, the prime minister highlighted the devastating Bhotekoshi flood as a serious consequence of the global climate crisis. He said Nepal contributes less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but continues to face severe and unequal climate impacts.
Shah proposed establishing a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism to monitor high-risk glacial lakes, strengthen early-warning systems and improve cross-border coordination during disasters.
He called on countries historically responsible for higher emissions to take greater responsibility and urged the international community to make climate-finance mechanisms, including the Loss and Damage Fund, easier for vulnerable countries to access.
The prime minister also highlighted Nepal’s efforts in forest conservation, hydropower development, electric-vehicle promotion and local climate adaptation. He stressed the need to replace temporary disaster responses with a stronger culture of preparedness.
Reaffirming Nepal’s commitment to multilateralism, Shah called for a United Nations system that listens to smaller and poorer countries and delivers fair outcomes. He concluded his address with an appeal for global peace inspired by the path shown by Lord Buddha.
During the visit, Shah met UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who expressed condolences over the loss of lives and property caused by the Bhotekoshi disaster and reaffirmed the UN’s solidarity with Nepal on climate issues.
Their discussions covered the resettlement of riverside communities, green reconstruction, the continuing risk of glacial lake outburst floods and support for extending Nepal’s graduation timeline from the least developed country category.
Shah also met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and discussed matters of bilateral interest.
Nepal’s foreign minister continues to participate in ministerial meetings involving least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Group of 77 and China, along with other high-level UN discussions.
