Foreign Minister Khanal to represent Nepal at UNGA as PM Shah decides not to attend

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal will lead Nepal's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in September, as Prime Minister Balendra Shah has opted not to attend the annual session in New York. Khanal is scheduled to address the General Assembly, with preparations underway by the Foreign Ministry and Nepal's UN Permanent Representatives.

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The relevant divisions in the Foreign Ministry and Nepal’s Permanent Representatives to the United Nations have been instructed for the preparations.

The formal opening of the assembly is set for September 8, followed by the high-level General Debate beginning September 22. Prime Minister Shah has not yet undertaken any foreign visits since assuming office on March 27.

On the sidelines of the assembly, Nepal, as the current chair of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), is exploring the possibility of organizing a foreign ministerial-level Saarc Council of Ministers meeting. However, such meetings have been hampered for years by the rivalry between India and Pakistan, preventing the Saarc Summit from being held since 2016.

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We are weighing the options and informally trying to gauge the mood of both India and Pakistan.

Foreign affairs experts suggest that the General Assembly offers a valuable platform for bilateral meetings and diplomacy. "I believe he should not lose this opportunity," said Madhu Raman Acharya, former foreign secretary and Nepal's permanent representative to the UN. "The prime minister would meet several world leaders and gain firsthand experience of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy during the visit."

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I believe he should not lose this opportunity. The prime minister would meet several world leaders and gain firsthand experience of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy during the visit.