Foreign Minister Khanal Attends High-Level General Debate of 81st UN General Assembly

Dragon Media News Desk

Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal attended the opening of the high-level General Debate of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. The high-level debate at UN Headquarters brings together heads of state and government and other senior representatives from around the world.

Foreign Minister Khanal was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Lok Bahadur Thapa, Joint Secretary Krishna Prasad Dhakal and other members of the Nepali delegation.

During the high-level week of the 81st UN General Assembly, Khanal is scheduled to participate in a series of high-level meetings, ministerial discussions and other events. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from various countries and senior United Nations officials, with discussions focusing on Nepal’s diplomatic relations, multilateral cooperation and issues of shared concern.

Khanal has already begun bilateral engagements in New York. He has held meetings with counterparts from Bhutan, Japan and Poland as well as representatives of the European Commission, discussing bilateral relations, cooperation, climate justice and issues related to Nepal’s post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.

The high-level General Debate of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly is being held from September 22 to 26 and on September 28. Peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, global health, artificial intelligence and the future of multilateral cooperation are among the major issues under discussion.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to lead Nepal’s high-level representation at the General Assembly. He is expected to address the General Debate on September 24 and hold a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres during his stay in New York.