Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the UN System Mr. Jamie McGoldrick
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is indeed a great pleasure for me to have this opportunity to say a few words in this programme organized to mark the 60th anniversary of Nepal’s membership of the United Nations. I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the UN team for organizing this event today.
The 60th anniversary of Nepal’s membership of the UN also coincides with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations. The occasion, therefore, offers an important opportunity for us to reflect on Nepal’s journey as a member state as well as on the country’s partnership with the United Nations. We must learn lessons from the past and draw inspiration for the future.
Nepal’s membership of the UN in 1955 symbolized the nation’s recognition of the significance of the United Nations in global affairs. It has been adequately reflected in all successive constitutions of Nepal. The principles and purposes of the United Nations enshrined in its UN Charter constitute the solid foundation of our foreign policy. The principles of the sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes, and non-use of threat or force enshrined in the Charter constitute the basis for the conduct of our foreign policy.
At the time of our joining the UN, we had just come out of our isolation to understand the outside world; and our pursuit of democracy just began to take shape. Over the period, the growth in the UN membership, from 51 at the time of its formation to 193 at present, has been remarkable; equally remarkable has been the growing role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace, security as well as in the advancement of socio-economic development in the world.
In Nepal, we continue to make strides for the consolidation of democratic gains through significant political transformation and for deepening our partnership with the United Nations through various ways. While democratization and conclusion of the peace process in the country largely characterize the evolution of the country in the domestic context, the country’s active and consistent contribution to the purposes of the United Nations characterizes evolution of our foreign policy in the international context. Our role in maintaining international peace and security, through our consistent and longstanding contribution to the UN Peacekeeping Operations, has been well appreciated. We remain steadfast in our commitment and are willing to contribute more towards this end. Similarly, UN’s development agenda is very important for us. Our strong commitment to the UN Charter continues to guide our positions in the international forums. It also continues to inspire our efforts for the cause of the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries as well as other countries confronting vulnerabilities of different kinds.
Nepal immensely values its partnership with the United Nations and appreciates its continued support in our development endeavours. The support extended by the UN in the recently concluded peace process has been quite significant. Today, with the promulgation of the new democratic and inclusive constitution through the Constituent Assembly, the country has been able to institutionalize significant democratic gains, paving the way for much needed socio-economic transformation of the country. In this context, we sincerely appreciate the Secretary General’s commendation of the new constitution as a milestone.
We have received support from the UN at difficult and challenging times. I wish to commend the UN for its active role in mobilizing international support in the aftermath of the devastation caused by the earthquakes in April and May this year. The instant flash appeal to address the immediate needs of the country in crisis as well as the unanimous adoption of the resolution at the UN along with the outpouring of overwhelming support by the international community were very important initiatives in support of our country. We have also been encouraged by the sincere pledges made by our neighbours as well as friends from the international community during the International Conference on Nepal’s reconstruction and look forward to their continued support in our rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.
At present, the entire population of the country confronts with critical challenges of humanitarian nature due to undeclared blockade at our southern border points. This difficult situation must come to an end immediately and unconditionally. We are grateful to the Secretary General for his expression of growing concern over the alarming obstruction of essential supplies and the continued impact on humanitarian operations as well as his call for the immediate lifting of all restrictions while underlining Nepal’s right of free transit.
Excellencies,
The year 2015 has been quite significant for the international community in many ways. Adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda in July and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September and the ongoing 21st Session of the Conference of Parties of the UNFCC will have significant impact on the lives of the peoples and planet in the years to come. The fact that the United Nations has been at the core of these landmark initiatives and accomplishments only highlights the need for a stronger United Nations. We underline that the strict observance of the principles of neutrality, impartiality and objectivity will help enhance the image and credibility of the United Nations world-wide.
As a small, Least Developed and landlocked developing country, Nepal, like many other countries in similar situations, sincerely expects greater solidarity and support from the international community in addressing challenges it confronts.
To conclude, I would like to reiterate the importance of the United Nations as the only international organization, capable of guiding international relations and fostering cooperation among the nations in an increasingly complex and interdependent world. With an unflinching faith in the UN, Nepal is committed to pursuing its national objectives and interests in conformity with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter. We look forward to continued partnership with the UN in the days to come.
Thank you for your kind attention!
Remarks by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at a program organized by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (Kathmandu, 3 December 2015)