NEW YORK: Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres held a meeting on Thursday (local time).
Prime Minister Shah, who arrived in New York to attend the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, met Secretary-General Guterres at the UN Headquarters at 6:30 PM local time (4:15 AM Friday, Nepal time) before addressing the General Assembly.
Secretary-General Guterres expressed deep condolences for the loss of lives and property caused by the Bhote Koshi disaster and affirmed that the United Nations stands in solidarity with Nepal on climate issues.
He also commended the young Nepali delegation. Recalling his visit to Nepal as a tourist in 1978, Secretary-General Guterres committed to continuing his support for Nepal even after retiring from his post.
Prime Minister Shah thanked Secretary-General Guterres for his goodwill toward Nepal and congratulated him on his successful tenure.
Noting that Nepal suffered severe losses from the Bhote Koshi disaster, the Prime Minister highlighted that the risk of glacial lake outbursts remains high.
The discussion also covered the rehabilitation of residents living along riverbanks and green reconstruction efforts.
Additionally, the meeting touched upon support for extending the timeline regarding Nepal’s graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.
