Nepal making serious efforts to conclude peace process: Dahal

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that he has been making serious efforts to build consensus, complete the task of transitional justice, and conclude the peace process.

“There will be no blanket amnesty for serious violations of human rights. The ultimate objective is to establish an enduring peace in the country and foster harmony in society through peace, justice, and reconciliation,” said, addressing the 78th United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

Dahal also said that his government is focused on sustaining socio-economic growth and development and that Nepal will be graduating from the status of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2026. “We are in the process of finalizing the smooth graduation strategy,” he said, highlighting that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) form the center of Nepal’s development vision and priorities. He urged greater international support through development and technical assistance, as well as foreign direct investment to overcome shocks induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and geo-political tensions.

In his address, Dahal highlighted Nepal’s unique position on climate change, saying that even with low emissions and vast forested areas that help preserve biodiversity, Nepal suffers unfairly from the climate crisis. “This kind of mismatch must be addressed,” Dahal said, urging a mechanism to compensate countries making a positive difference in greening the planet. He also said that Nepal remains fully committed to the Paris Agreement and achieving its goals.

Nepal has set an ambitious target of reaching a net-zero scenario by 2045.

Stating that reshaping global governance and reforming multilateral institutions were overdue, Dahal urged for meaningful engagement and representation of least developed, landlocked developing, and small island developing nations in the process. “Only a more inclusive, fair and representative international financial architecture can be an antidote to the deep-rooted inequities and gaps,” he added.

Dahal also advocated for the reform of the UN Security Council, emphasizing the need for representation, transparency, and accountability. He urged revitalizing the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, granting them greater roles.

(With Inputs from UN News)

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