KATHMANDU, April 24: Nepal has been elected by acclamation as Chair of the Committee on Conferences, a permanent subsidiary organ of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), for the year 2018.

Nepal was appointed by the President of the General Assembly (PGA) as a member of the Committee earlier this year for a three-year term of 2018-2020, as one of the six Member States representing Asia-Pacific Group, the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, New York stated in a press release.

In the Committee of 21 Member States, the representatives of Hungary, Guyana and the United States were elected as vice-chairs while Liberia was elected as Rapporteur representing five different geographical regions.

Nepal has served as member of this Committee several times in the past and a few times in its bureau on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group, and this is the first time that Nepal has been entrusted by the membership to be its chair.

Mr. Nirmal Raj Kafle, Minister Plenipotentiary and the Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, will act as Chair representing Nepal. This is yet another opportunity for Nepal to further contribute to this multilateral platform.

The Committee was established by the UNGA on 18 December 1974.

The Committee advises the UNGA on all matters pertaining to the organization of UN Conferences and meetings including their planning and coordination in close consultations with the UN Secretariat and all other stakeholders to avoid duplications; recommending to the UNGA a draft calendar of conferences; recommending the best use of conference-services; advising on current and future conference service requirements and means; and monitoring the organization’s policies on publications. The committee reports annually to the UNGA. RSS

KATHMANDU, Sept 21: Nepal has become a state party to the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara signed the Treaty on behalf of the country at a special ceremony held at the UN Headquarters, New York, in course of attending the 72nd Sessions of the UN General Assembly.

On the same occasion, DPM Mahara also participated in the ministerial meeting of the countries (G-77) of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The meeting’s objective is to assess the compliance of the international laws on human rights.

Presenting Nepal’s official stance at the meeting, DPM Mahara said that the differences surfaced in the globe should be settled through dialogue.

Likewise, he attended the 16th ministry level meeting of the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) which had the main agenda of ‘Leadership in the implementation of Vienna Program of Action’.

On the occasion, DPM Mahara underlined the need to increase partnership, technology transfer and investment, being not limited to the assessment of the international cooperation, for the meaningful participation of LLDCs in international trade.

Likewise, DPM Mahara attended a program on High-Level Open Debate on Peace Keeping organized by UN Security Council.

Addressing the meeting, Mahara said Nepal is the sixth big countries of the world in mobilizing army and police for peace keeping missions.

Besides this, DPM Mahara also held several meetings on the same day.

DINNER HOSTED IN HONOUR OF PM DEUBA

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba graciously participated in a dinner hosted by Nepal’s Permanent Representative to UN, Durga Prasad Bhattarai, in honour of the Nepali delegation in New York on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Deuba, leading a 20-member Nepali delegation, arrived here on Wednesday morning in course of attending the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Also present in the dinner were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Asha Koirala; Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai; Foreign Secretary Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi; Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations in New York, Mr. Durga Prasad Bhattarai and other senior officials of the Government of Nepal. RSS

DAMAK, Sept 16: The Bhutanese refugees on Friday sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba renewing their call for a lasting solution to their problems.

The renewed appeal from the Bhutanese refugees comes as PM Deuba prepares to take part in the UN General Assembly taking place in the US a week after.

Bhutanese Refugees Elderly Citizen Repatriation Committee Spokesperson, Santa Bir Ghale, has appealed for vehemently raising the issue of Bhutanese living as refugees in Nepal during the 72nd UN General Assembly taking place in New York.

“It is necessary to actively raise the issue of repatriating the Bhutanese refugees living in two camps in Jhapa and Morang at the UN,” the memorandum signed by Ghale reads.

“The general assembly is extremely favorable to pressurize the Bhutanese government, for which the refugees are hopeful. We have been demanding for years for repatriation, the problem if raised at the general assembly will become an international issue,” it is stated. RSS