Within hours of touching down at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal had already launched into a whirlwind of diplomatic engagements, holding five bilateral meetings on his first day in New York for the high-level week of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Khanal arrived Monday at 8:50 a.m. on Qatar Airways Flight 703, greeted by Lok Bahadur Thapa, Nepal’s permanent representative to the UN, Dadhiram Bhandari, Nepal’s consul general in New York, and officials from the permanent mission. By afternoon, he was seated across from European Union officials at UN headquarters, setting the tone for a week that Nepal hopes will spotlight both its climate vulnerabilities and its diplomatic reach.
The foreign minister’s first meeting was with Teresa Ribera, the European Commission’s executive vice president for a clean, just and competitive transition. Khanal expressed gratitude for the EU’s sympathy and solidarity following Nepal’s recent Bhotekoshi floods, according to Nepal’s permanent mission to the UN. The two sides discussed the Nepal-EU partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The Bhotekoshi disaster, which struck on August 26 and caused extensive damage in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and other areas along the river system, has been described by Nepal’s Foreign Ministry as an unprecedented disaster requiring international support. It is expected to feature prominently in Nepal’s discussions throughout the General Assembly.
Next, Khanal met Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. Their talks focused on expanding Nepal-Poland relations, cooperation in areas of mutual interest, and coordination at the United Nations and other multilateral forums.
According to Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting covered Poland’s support for what it described as positive political and economic changes in Nepal, including through expert assistance. The Polish ministry also said the two sides discussed Nepal’s support for Ukraine and what it described as Russia’s exploitation of Nepali citizens who are being forced to fight in Ukraine. Poland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In the afternoon, Khanal met Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at Bhutan’s permanent mission in New York. Tobgay reaffirmed Bhutan’s solidarity with Nepal following the recent floods and conveyed best wishes for the recovery and reconstruction of affected communities. Thapa and Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai also joined the meeting.
Later, Khanal sat down with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel at UN headquarters, where the two officials discussed bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
In the evening, Khanal met Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan, with both countries having highlighted cooperation in areas including trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, tourism, education and culture.
The meetings generally focused on bilateral relations and issues of interest. Foreign Secretary Rai, Thapa and other Nepalese officials also took part.
Khanal is accompanied by Rai, Joint Secretary Krishna Prasad Dhakal and other officials. Nepal is scheduled to host a side event on Sept. 25 titled “Sagarmatha to the Sea: A Call to Action for a Climate-Resilient Future.” The event will focus on climate change and its effects, particularly in the Himalayan region.
Nepal is expected to highlight climate justice, the impact of climate-related disasters, the concerns of least-developed and landlocked developing countries, and international cooperation on investment, trade, recovery and reconstruction.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to leave for New York on Sept. 22 and address the General Assembly on Sept. 24. He is also scheduled to meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
According to Nepal’s Foreign Ministry, Shah is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on Sept. 26, while Khanal is expected to remain in New York through Sept. 29. The Nepali delegation to the high-level week includes Khanal, Rai and other senior government officials.
