Kathmandu, Sept 21: In a significant address during the UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPPR), held in conjunction with the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, emphasized the importance of a united global effort in overcoming the challenges posed by pandemics.
The event, themed “Making the World Safer: Creating and Maintaining Political Momentum and Solidarity for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response,” saw the Prime Minister stress the necessity of a swift and equitable post-pandemic recovery, particularly for poorer and least developed nations. Nepal, he stated, is dedicated to strengthening its public health infrastructure and is eager to collaborate with the international community. Prime Minister Dahal also emphasized the need for a multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral, and comprehensive approach to pandemic prevention and response.
Similarly, Prime Minister Dahal addressed the Climate Ambition Summit, held during the 78th Session of the UNGA. In his role as Chair of the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), he advocated for the effective implementation of the Doha Program of Action (DPOA), with a focus on resilience and risk-informed development.
Dahal called for a doubling of adaptation finance by 2025 and the fulfillment of the $100 billion climate commitment. Additionally, he affirmed Nepal’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the national goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045. Nepal is also actively participating in the UN Secretary-General’s Adaptation Pipeline Accelerator and Early Warnings Initiatives.
During the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development, themed “Innovative Solutions to Unlock SDG Investments,” Prime Minister Dahal, as Chair of the Group of LDCs, urged developed nations to fulfill their commitment of allocating 0.2% of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Gross National Income (GNI) while increasing the grant component. He stressed the need to scale up concessional financing and correct the stark inequity in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation to bolster the financial safety net for LDCs. Furthermore, he called for the fulfillment of climate finance commitments.
The meetings witnessed the participation of numerous heads of state, heads of government, and high-level dignitaries, who delivered their statements on critical global issues.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs, N P Saud, signed the ‘BBNJ Agreement’ at the UN Headquarters, making Nepal one of the pioneering signatory states from Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) during the 2023 treaty event.
Additionally, theForeign Minister also participated in the 18th Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), focused on “Post-Pandemic Sustainable Recovery.” He expressed optimism about the ACD’s role in enhancing mutual trust, building common understanding, and fostering cooperation among member states for the peace, stability, shared development, and prosperity of Asian nations. Nepal reiterated its commitment to regional processes, including the ACD.
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