Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, who was present at the meeting, Indian Prime Minister Modi expressed his intention to visit Nepal soon.
“Modi said he will visit Nepal shortly, and both leaders agreed to activate bilateral mechanisms to address various issues,” she said after the meeting.
Prime Minister Oli described the talks as positive during a brief interaction with the media following the meeting.
According to the Indian Prime Minister Modi, the talks between the two leaders focused on issues such as energy, technology and trade.
“Had a very good meeting with Prime Minister KP Oli in New York. The India-Nepal friendship is very robust and we look forward to adding even more momentum to our ties. Our talks focused on issues such as energy, technology and trade,” Modi wrote on X.
Nepal’s delegation included Prime Minister Oli, Foreign Minister Rana, Political Adviser to the Prime Minister Bishnu Rimal, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Lok Bahadur Thapa, and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Amrit Kumar Rai.
On the Indian side, Modi was accompanied by Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The meeting lasted approximately 45 minutes.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Rai said the talks helped to further strengthen the trust between the two countries.
This marks Oli’s first meeting with Modi since assuming office for the fourth time. During his previous terms as prime minister, Oli met with Modi during visits to India.
Prime Minister Oli also held a meeting with Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. We discussed matters of common concern, from labour relations to promotion of trade, tourism and investment, Prime Minister Oli said in a post on X.
Photo: Courtesy of PM secretariat
The prime minister also met Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at Nepal’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
During their discussions, the two leaders focused on enhancing collaboration in both bilateral and multilateral forums, said Bishnu Rimal, the prime minister’s chief political adviser.
Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay expressed his appreciation for Nepal’s goodwill and reaffirmed Bhutan’s cordial relations with Nepal.
RSS
Prime Minister Oli committed to providing the necessary support to strengthen people-to-people connections and trade relations between the two countries, according to the prime minister’s secretariat.
Similarly, Volker Türk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, paid a courtesy call on the prime minister.
According to the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, they discussed various matters regarding the promotion and protection of human rights, including Nepal’s recent progress on the issues of transitional justice.
Earlier, Prime Minister Oli chaired the first interactive dialogue of the Summit of the Future, entitled ‘Transforming Global Governance and Turbocharging the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’.
The prime minister commenced the interactive dialogue with brief opening remarks, stating that poverty, hunger, and inequalities are rising despite significant wealth and advancement in the world, according to Permanent mission of Nepal to the United Nations.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the sluggish progress in achieving SDG targets.
Prime Minister Oli highlighted that the global financial system, designed decades ago, fails to address contemporary issues such as poverty, climate change, and inequality. He also urged bridging the large financing gap for development, particularly in LDCs, which face an annual spending gap of 40 percent of GDP to achieve the SDGs.
The prime minister also addressed the Summit of the Future plenary session as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries.
In his statement, the prime minister highlighted the challenges faced by least-developed countries and urged the international community to provide enhanced means of implementation and fulfil the solemn pledge of leaving no one behind.
Expressing optimism about the positive impact of the pact on LDCs, the prime minister conveyed that the LDCs wholeheartedly welcome the pact for the future as a manifesto for future generations, a blueprint for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future, and a renewed commitment to multilateralism with the UN at its core.
He called on all member states to work together to eradicate poverty and hunger by investing in rural development, education, and health, and by building sustainable social protection systems to prevent setbacks and respond to shocks.
Prime Minister Oli emphasised the need to create a peaceful environment conducive to equitable, sustainable, and prosperous development for all.
Prime Minister Oli left for New York on Friday.
During his 10-day stay in the US, in addition to addressing the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 26, the prime minister will attend and speak at several other functions on the sidelines and meet world leaders.
This is Oli’s first foreign visit since being appointed prime minister on July 15.
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