Nepal, 2009

I would like to begin by

extending my warm congratulations to you, Sir, on

your election to the presidency of the Assembly at its

current session. As an incumbent Vice-President, I

assure you of my delegation’s full cooperation in the

discharge of your responsibilities. I also take this

opportunity to place on record our appreciation for

Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, the outgoing President,

for his exemplary leadership during the sixty-third

session.

I thank the Secretary-General for his

comprehensive report on the work of the Organization

(A/64/1). We appreciate his efficient stewardship on

various issues of critical global significance and on the

reform of the United Nations. He also deserves our

thanks for supporting the nationally driven peace

process of Nepal.

I bring greetings and good wishes from the

people and Government of Nepal, a country that

expresses unswerving commitment to the ideals of the

United Nations. We look to the Organization as a true

advocate and upholder of the universal values of peace,

justice, equality, freedom and human dignity. As was

so aptly recognized in the Millennium Declaration

(resolution 55/2), the United Nations is indeed the

indispensable common house of the entire human

family. A more efficient and stronger United Nations is

obviously in the interest of us all.

Sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political

independence, non-interference and the peaceful

settlement of international disputes have become the

bedrock of inter-State relations. These principles,

enshrined in the United Nations Charter more than six

decades ago, represent the highest ideals of

contemporary international relations. They have stood

the test of time and proved to be timeless and

universal. They provide the basis for the smooth and

harmonious conduct of international relations among

States that are sovereign, independent and

interconnected. As we march towards increasing

interdependence through globalization, these well-

established principles and norms of inter-State

relations assume even greater relevance for us.

History stands testimony to the fact that human

civilization has no linear progression. We live in

changing times. Today, the nature, speed and scope of

such changes are astounding. New opportunities and

unforeseen challenges always await us along our way

to peace, progress and prosperity. We often find

ourselves at the crossroads of stability and peace, on

the one hand, and conflict and domination, on the

other. It is only with principled stands and

determination that we have moved towards peace and

development throughout history. Whenever we have

digressed from these principles, perils and catastrophes

have visited us. International solidarity and a true spirit

of global partnership are therefore indispensable, and

multilateralism offers the best means and opportunity

to address the global problems of our times.

Nepal is currently in the midst of a great political

transition. With the signing of the Comprehensive

Peace Accord in November 2006, our decade-long

armed conflict ended and a nationally driven peace

process is now in progress. The Constituent Assembly,

consisting of 601 members elected through a mixed-

proportional system, has been writing a new,

democratic and republican constitution. It is one of the

most inclusive and representative elected bodies in the

history of Nepal. Almost one third of the Constituent

Assembly members are women, and a fair number

represent the country’s various ethnic minorities.

Thematic committees on various aspects of the new

constitution have been preparing their respective

reports following a process of broad consultations with

the Nepali people. We are determined to take the peace

process to a positive and meaningful conclusion, as

envisaged in the Comprehensive Peace Accord, by

building consensus among the political parties through

dialogue and consultations.

We are a multi-ethnic, multilingual and

multireligious country. As we have opted for a Federal

Democratic Republic, we are now restructuring the

State by organizing it into federal units, as desired by

the people of Nepal. We believe democracy is more

meaningful when it is closer to the people. We believe

that reconfiguring the State into federal units is one

such significant step towards deepening the roots of

democracy in our country.

My Government has four major tasks at hand:

taking the peace process to its positive and meaningful

conclusion, writing a new democratic constitution

through the Constituent Assembly within the stipulated

time frame, speeding up the country’s economic

development to lift it up from poverty, and meeting the

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rising expectations of our people in a new democratic

environment. We have been doing our best to

accomplish these tasks through dialogue, consultations

and consensus among the country’s major political

parties.

Looking at the overall progress we have made

over the past three years, there is reason to be forward-

looking and optimistic about Nepal’s peace process.

We have come a long way in terms of our transition

from the decade-long violent conflict. As in every

post-conflict situation, there have been ups and downs

along the way. Managing the legacy of the violent past

with justice and reconciliation and mainstreaming all

the forces involved into a democratic order are the

major challenges before us.

We are for democratic order, peace and stability.

There is no place either for extremism or for permanent

instability in Nepal. The Government is doing its best

to ensure moderation in order to institutionalize

democratic rules and ideals and to leave conflict

permanently behind. I am sure that there is a common

understanding on this issue within the country and

among our friends in the international community. The

desire to avoid a relapse into conflict and to fulfil the

hopes and aspirations of the people has constantly

prodded us to move forward with dialogue, consensus

and unity of purpose. We know that we still have far to

go, and we are determined to reach our destination — a

peaceful, prosperous and stable Nepal.

In achieving that, we know we must be alert to

the desire of our people for both freedom and

development. Freedom rings hollow when there is no

development. Development loses its soul if it is not

accompanied by freedom. These are our twin goals,

and my Government is committed to pursuing them

with clear vision and commitment.

I am confident that we will have the continuous

support and cooperation of the international

community in achieving these goals. Needless to say,

any failure to address the rising expectations of our

people and to provide peace dividends to those affected

by the conflict at the grass-roots level, may have

unintended consequences that challenge the peace and

democratization processes in Nepal and elsewhere.

Therefore, to promote the positive conclusion of the

peace process and to institutionalize our hard-won

democracy, the Nepali people deserve support for

rehabilitation, compensation and reconstruction arising

from the damage that occurred during the conflict. I

request special support from development partners in

addressing our post-conflict development challenges.

We are fully committed to the protection and

promotion of human rights. Since the end of the

decade-long armed conflict and the beginning of the

peace process in 2006, the human rights situation in the

country has improved significantly. The Government is

determined to establish a truth and reconciliation

commission and a disappearance commission as part of

ensuring transitional justice and restoring social

harmony and peace. We already have our National

Human Rights Commission, which is a constitutional

body with full autonomy in its area of work.

We appreciate the continued support of the

United Nations to Nepal’s ongoing peace process

through the United Nations Mission in Nepal. We are

determined to bring the peace process to a positive and

meaningful conclusion as early as possible. As we

ourselves are now undergoing a post-conflict situation,

we understand the importance of peacebuilding in

post-conflict societies. Nepal is pleased to contribute to

the work of the Peacebuilding Commission as a new

member of its Organizational Committee starting this

year. We understand that a review of the activities of

the Commission is slated for 2010. That would provide

an opportunity to assess its activities and also to

explore ways to make peacebuilding a more effective

and innovative mechanism.

Whether it concerns issues of peace, conflict,

terrorism, climate change, the financial crisis, food

security, development challenges or other vulnerabilities,

we are so interconnected that no country can escape

their impacts. The global village has become a palpable

reality before us. Global problems thus require global

solutions. In that context, I welcome the selection of

the theme “Effective responses to global crises:

strengthening multilateralism and dialogue among

civilizations for international peace, security and

development” for this year’s general debate.

The economic and financial crisis that swept the

world within a relatively short span of time is the most

recent reminder of the vulnerability inherent in the

process of globalization and its global implications. If

we look around, we will see that climate change is

another issue staring at us. Regional conflicts are yet

another global issue of concern to us all.

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The least developed countries (LDCs) and

landlocked developing countries, among others, are the

most vulnerable with regard to all those issues. Their

special needs call for more specific and an enhanced

level of international support in terms of their concerns

and challenges. At the same time, the outcome

document of the United Nations Conference on the

World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on

Development (resolution 63/303, annex), held here in

New York in June this year, should be implemented in

all earnestness. We also stress the early implementation

of the outcome document of the International

Conference on Financing for Development (resolution

63/239, annex), held in Doha last year.

While the global financial and economic crisis

wreaked havoc on the already fragile economic health

of the least developed countries, that unanticipated

shock has also brought into sharper relief the urgent

need for an enhanced level of understanding, resources

and a policy space for the developing countries to

mitigate its impact and to avoid its recurrence.

The global crises have posed a serious challenge

to the fight against poverty in the LDCs. The

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) can still be

achieved if all of us in the international community act

together, and act urgently. The proposed review of

progress in the implementation of the MDGs should

provide us a renewed opportunity to reinvigorate our

development agenda. We urge the developed countries

not to let the economic and financial crisis become an

excuse for curtailing their aid commitments with

regard to the MDGs and other internationally agreed

development agendas.

Indeed, as recognized at the Group of 20 Summit

in London earlier this year and as so consistently

emphasized by our Secretary-General, the people of

developing countries, especially the LDCs, need their

own international financial rescue package to ensure

that we do not backtrack on programmes towards

achievement of the MDGs.

Nepal is a country with young mountains and a

fragile ecosystem. Global warming, one of the most

ruthless signs of climate change, has led to

unprecedented melting of the Himalayan snow. Nepal

experienced an annual temperature increase of

0.06 Celsius degrees between 1977 and 2000. With

that, the threat of glacial lake outbursts has increased.

Flash floods have become more frequent and more

destructive. Delayed and insufficient rainfall has

affected crop production. The poorest of the poor

farmers have suffered the worst from all those effects.

Agriculture, health, livelihoods and infrastructure are

all being affected by them.

Nepal recently hosted a high-level regional

conference on climate change focusing on the

Himalayan region in order to highlight the seriousness

of the problem of global warming and its impacts on

the Himalayan range. The unprecedented snow melt in

the Himalayas could jeopardize the lives and

livelihoods of over 700 million people downstream and

in the coastal regions. The conference produced a

10-point understanding that emphasizes, among other

factors, the need to put into practice the principles of

common but differentiated responsibilities and the

respective capabilities and historical responsibility of

the developed countries, as envisaged in the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as

well as a financing mechanism on adaptation and

transfer of technologies to sufficiently meet the urgent

and immediate financial needs of the region in a

predictable, easy and direct manner.

Concrete actions that match the level of the threat

are needed. The other day, we had a fruitful discussion

at the Summit on Climate Change, convened by the

Secretary-General. While I thank the Secretary-General

for that important initiative, I urge all to continue that

spirit of positive thinking and to work together to

converge all our efforts to find a just and effective

solution to the ever-increasing problem of climate

change.

The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference

should be able to seal the deal and work out a new

global compact to address the problem of climate

change beyond 2012 in keeping with the principle of

common but differentiated responsibilities, with

special consideration given to the characteristics,

vulnerabilities and weaknesses of the least developed

and other developing countries.

The LDCs have particular vulnerabilities

associated with their structural constraints, systemic

deficiencies and historical socio-economic factors. The

bottom half billion people face the daunting task of

improving their living standards despite persistent

efforts and commitment. Their plight is further

exacerbated by the global problems that affect them

disproportionately because they do not have cushions

35 09-52586

or alternatives. Therefore, their plight deserves special

consideration by the international community.

As we prepare for the fourth United Nations

Conference on the Least Developed Countries, we need

to seriously consider the implementation status of the

Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed

Countries for the Decade 2001-2010, and endeavour to

tackle all existing obstacles in our way through a

committed and collaborative partnership. We would

also emphasize the need for full implementation of the

Almaty Programme of Action for landlocked

developing countries.

Nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament

and the proliferation of small arms are matters of

global concern. We welcome Security Council

resolution 1887 (2009), adopted on 24 September 2009,

which seeks to contain proliferation, ban nuclear tests

and bring about further cuts in nuclear weapons.

Disarmament being a comprehensive issue, we

are of the view that promoting regional discourse on

disarmament would help build confidence and prepare

the groundwork necessary for realizing our eventual

goal of general and complete disarmament. In this

context, we see an important role for the United

Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in

Asia and the Pacific, which has been operating from

Kathmandu since last year. We urge Member States to

be generous in extending financial support to the

Centre for conducting its programmes and activities.

In spite of sustained and concerted efforts on the

part of the international community, terrorism

continues to pose a serious threat to international peace

and security. Nepal strongly condemns terrorism in all

its forms and calls for early conclusion of a

comprehensive convention against terrorism. We

reiterate our commitment to combating international

terrorism, including through the implementation of the

Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (see resolution

60/288) adopted on 8 September 2006 and of various

Security Council resolutions, such as resolutions 1373

(2001) and 1540 (2004).

After more than 60 years, there is no denying that

the United Nations needs institutional reform and

reinvigoration to maintain continued relevance and

effectiveness. In this context, we hope that the

intergovernmental negotiations started by the General

Assembly can lead to significant reform of the United

Nations system — including the Security Council, by

adding new members in a fair and equitable manner in

such a way as to reflect the current realities of the

contemporary world.

In an increasingly globalized and interconnected

world, the issue of migrant workers has become

prominent. Remittances have become one of the major

sources of earned foreign currency for almost all the

least developed and other developing countries. We

therefore urge the international community to adopt a

comprehensive approach and policy towards migration,

including regarding protection of the rights of migrant

workers in the face of the current economic crisis.

We are concerned about the continued deadlock

in the World Trade Organization’s Doha Development

Agenda negotiations, as well as about the new waves

of protectionism that are built into the inward-looking

stimulus packages being adopted to deal with the

global financial and economic crisis. Given the

exceptional vulnerabilities of the least developed and

landlocked developing countries, developed countries,

in accordance with international compacts and

commitments such as the 2002 Monterrey Consensus,

should immediately make available to them duty-free

entry for their exports, debt-relief packages and other

capacity-building measures. Such resources are very

important to the fight against poverty, hunger, illiteracy

and disease in all the least developed countries,

particularly those affected by conflict, which encounter

huge development challenges in post-conflict recovery.

While peacekeeping remains one of the core

activities of the United Nations, its multidimensional

nature has posed new managerial and logistical

challenges in recent years. Peacekeeping evolved out

of necessity, and it has to be adapted to match the new

and emerging challenges inherent in today’s

increasingly complex peacekeeping missions. In this

context, we appreciate the Secretariat’s “New Horizon”

non-paper, aimed at engaging and ensuring broader

support from Member States and troop-contributing

countries. Let me recall here that Nepal has been one

of the longest-standing continuing partners in United

Nations peacekeeping missions. Today, we are the fifth

largest troop-contributing country. Our commitment to

international peace remains as strong as ever, and our

support for the United Nations in its peacekeeping

activities will continue unabated.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate Nepal’s

abiding faith in the principles and purposes of the

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United Nations Charter. We stress the need for

introducing timely reforms in the United Nations and

its operational mechanisms, in order to enhance the

Organization’s role and relevance in the emerging new

global order of the twenty-first century. Nepal is

always willing to contribute in whatever ways it can to

the attainment of the noble objectives of international

peace, security, development and prosperity for all.

As a least developed country, engaged in a peace

process and in rebuilding post-conflict, Nepal has

many challenges to face. My Government is making

every effort to meet these challenges and appreciates

the support extended by the United Nations. At the

same time, we would like the international community

to be more generous in assisting us in our national

endeavour to institutionalize peace and democracy,

rebuild our infrastructure and enhance our economic

growth.