Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has proposed enhancing South-South cooperation to overcome the resource deficit, stating that many fellow NAM members have made significant progress both in socio-economic development as well as technological advancement.
Addressing the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Kampala, Uganda, on Friday, he also called upon NAM to accord high priority to addressing the institutional and capacity constraints being faced by developing and least-developed countries on science, technology, and innovation. He also said NAM must take the lead to address common and contemporary challenges that NAM members are facing. “NAM should play a greater role in reforming the United Nations. Our multilateral institutions should be inclusive, transparent, and democratic to ensure enduring peace and shared prosperity,” he added.
Dahal also said that the movement has remained a beacon of hope for our dignity, pride, solidarity, and cooperation. “Though the movement has continued to struggle for a just, equitable, inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous world order, today’s world is full of injustice, inequality, division, discord, and exclusion. Moreover, protectionism, violent extremism, and war and conflict are on the rise. Likewise, military expenditures and the arms race are soaring.”
The Prime Minister also said the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals seems mission impossible. “The Global Financial Architecture must be reformed to enable countries in special situations to secure finance in achieving their development visions and goals. To provide development justice to these countries, the developed countries must fulfill their financing commitment without delay,” he said. “International trade must be just, fair, and inclusive which benefits the bottom billions.”
Drawing the attention of the global community toward the impacts of climate change on the Himalayas, Dahal said the mountains, which offer global services to all living beings, are suffering tremendously. “Nepal has been advocating for the protection of mountains, bio-diversities, and mountain ecosystems, and people living therein. We have witnessed the disastrous impact of climate change on the Himalayas in the form of receding glaciers at an alarming rate and the untold misery it would bring to the lives and livelihoods of billions,” Dahal said. “Protecting the mountain ecosystem, mountain civilization, and biodiversity is in our shared interests. For this, I call upon fellow NAM members to support our call- the call of the Himalayas.”
The Prime Minister also said globalization has increased income disparities and the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few countries. “Global North must understand that it is not only unethical and immoral but is also unsustainable to leave half of humanity excluded from the journey of prosperity,” Dahal said, urging NAM to stress the economic development and prosperity of its members through the timely achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other internationally agreed development goals.
Dahal said Nepal deplores all kinds of conflicts and geo-political rivalries in the world. “Nepal looks forward to seeing peace and stability in the Middle East with a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized international borders based on relevant United Nations resolutions,” he added.
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