Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahendra Bahadur Pandey has said that Nepal has been implementing a long term Population Perspective Plan (2010-2031) to mainstream population and development issues in national and sub-national development policies.

Addressing the 29th Special Session of the General Assembly on the follow-up to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development beyond 2014 on Monday, Pandey said elimination of poverty should be at the core of all efforts in the people-centric development.

He also stressed on the need to prioritise the least developed countries and said population and development activities should be matched by means of implementation through multi-stakeholder participation. Sating that migrant workers are playing an important role in the development of the countries of destination and origin, he called for appreciation of their roles and suitable measures to protect their fundamental rights. The session was also attended by various high-level representatives from UN member states.

On the sidelines of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Minister Pandey also met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende and shared his view that both countries can work together in areas such as hydropower and development. According to a press statement issued by Nepal’s Permanent Mission in New York, the Norwegian minister said that more investment would be forthcoming for the development of hydropower sector in Nepal.

Similarly, Pandey also held a meeting with United Nations Development Programme Administrator Helen Clark at her office in New York. Expressing her deep condolences to the victims of recent landslide and flood in Nepal, Clark said the incident is a reminder to all of us to work together in the area of disaster risk management.

Recalling her memorable visit to Nepal in 2011, Clark mentioned that UNDP attaches great importance to Nepal as a least developed country which has come out of a period of conflict peacefully. She said that UNDP and the Development Group stands ready to assist Nepal with the technical or any other support that Nepal may need. She said Nepal is well positioned between two major growth engines of Asia, India and China to become a prosperous country.

Stating that serious discussions are under way with all stakeholders to complete the constitution writing process within stipulated time frame, Pandey sought UNDP’s continued cooperation and support to Nepal’s development efforts and called for enhanced level of support in the context of Nepal’s decision to graduate from LDC status.

Likewise, Minister Pandey also had a meeting with Under Secretary General and High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDs Gyan Chandra Acharya on Monday and discussed the proposed Asia-Pacific LDC graduation conference in Kathmandu in December.

Published on: 24 September 2014 | The Kathmandu Post