World is with Nepal when it comes to climate change: Foreign Minister Deuba

Kathmandu [Nepal], May 16 : Nepali Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba said that the participants in the Sagarmatha Sambaad have expressed their commitment to Nepal on the issue of climate change.

Addressing a press conference following the first day's engagement of three-day event, the Foreign Minister said that the participants who spoke in the inaugural session have expressed support for Nepal's views on climate change.

She also thanked all the participants, saying that all the participating countries are positive that Nepal has been raising climate-related issues.

"The delegations highlighted the impact of climate change in mountains and beyond and also made calls for greater unity and solidarity behind this cause to safeguard our future. A lot of them also made commitments and I was really touched to see and very encouraged to see the commitment from the middle eastern countries where there are no mountains but I think they realize the fact that the whole world is one. Their commitment was also very encouraging for everyone to hear," Deuba said.

On the first day of the dialogue, representatives from various countries, including Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, shared their views on the inaugural session and the topic of 'Climate Change, Mountains and Future of Humanity'. The current Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres sent his video message for the event.

Foreign Minister also informed the media that Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had unveiled the banner of the Sagarmatha Sambaad and officially inaugurated the dialogue.

Before addressing the Opening Session, the Prime Minister officially unveiled the government's Nationally Determined Contribution (Third NDC) and handed it over to Mukhtar Babayev, the President of COP-29.

President of COP 29 and the representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mukhtar Babayev, delivered his main speech mentioning the various dimensions of climate change and highlighting the necessary options and solutions to address its impact on mountains.

Similarly, India's Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav highlighted many impacts of climate change in the mountains and beyond, as stated by Minister Deuba.

Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the China, Xiao Jie, emphasized the serious impacts of climate change while addressing the session. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also addressed the session through a video message.

A total of 19 delegates (13 national and six from regional and international organizations) addressed various aspects of climate change, mountains, and the future of humanity in their statements.

Representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, India, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Brazil, Egypt, Oman, and Pakistan were present in the national delegations. International and regional organizations include the United Nations, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, SAARC, BIMSTEC, and ICIMOD.

The Egyptian ambassador to Nepal, Noha Hamdy Ahmed ElGebaly, stated that it is necessary to include local climate finance, water replenishment, and biodiversity conservation, as well as climate-smart agricultural adaptation in the national climate adaptation strategy.

Advisor to the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs of Bangladesh, Sharmeen Soneya Murshid; Bhutan's Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, Gem Tshering; the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords Minister), Baroness Susan Hayman; and the UAE's Assistant Foreign Minister for Energy and Sustainabilty Affairs, Abdullah Balalaa, had expressed their views.

Similarly, Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Akiko Ikuina, India's Additional Secretary (Deputy Minister) Amandeep Garg, and Special Envoy and Deputy Minister for Climate Change Affairs, and Qatar's Badar Omar Al Dafa expressed their views.

Likewise, Special Representative of the President of Kyrgyzstan for implementation of the Five Years of Action for Development of Mountain Regions, Dinara Kemelova; Ambassador of Brazil to Nepal, Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog; Ambassador of Oman to Nepal, Issa bin Saleh Al Shibani; and Ambassador Abrar H Hashmi of Pakistan addressed the plenary session.

Among the representatives of regional and international organizations putting their views in the plenary session were Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana; the Regional Vice President of the World Bank for South Asia, Martin Raiser; the Vice President of the Asian Development Bank, Fatima Yasmin; the SAARC Secretary-General, Ambassador Mohammad Golam Sarwar; BIMSTEC Secretary-General Indra Mani Pandey; and the Director General of ICIMOD, Pema Gyamtso.

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