Statement Delivered by the Hon. Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of Nepali Delegation to the 71st session of the UNGA (NY-24 Sept. 2016)

I wish to begin by congratulating you on your election to the presidency of the 71st session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

I assure you of my delegation’s full support in the successful discharge of your important responsibilities.

Let me also commend outgoing President His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft for his effective leadership of the previous session.

I wish to place on record Nepal’s admiration to His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General, for the dedication with which he served the world body for the last 10 years. And we wish him well for the future.

Mr. President,

Exactly six decades ago, Nepal first spoke at the 11th session of the General Assembly as a newly admitted member.

Sixty years down the road, our commitment to the United Nations have become even stronger. The principles of the UN Charter remain at the core of Nepal’s foreign policy.

As much as United Nations has contributed to our development endeavors and lately to the peace process, Nepal has significantly contributed to the United Nations in fulfilling its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.

Mr. President,

It has been a year since we adopted the universal and transformative 2030 Agenda with the objective of leaving no one behind.

One year on, it is clear now that much more needs to be done to move from commitments to results. 

Let me stress the fact that the secure foundation of the world peace rests on wellbeing of the people across the globe. Poverty reduction and sustainable development are thus inseparable. We cannot imagine a peaceful, prosperous and secure society when millions of people are living in poverty.

I, thus, urge all member states and our development partners to move beyond rhetoric and commence concrete actions without losing time, energy and zeal.