KATHMANDU, Oct 30: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is currently on a four-day official trip to Nepal beginning Sunday, has said the world should learn a lesson from Nepal's homegrown practices for the establishment of peace.
In his address to a welcome program organized in his honor at the Pulchowk-based UN Building in Lalitpur on Monday, Guterres said the world should take a lesson from Nepal's homegrown practices for establishing peace, efforts to conclude transitional justice and the contribution to the UN peacekeeping mission.
On the occasion, he urged the UN staff in Nepal to assist Nepal to make it competitive and successful in each area including the socio-economic sector. He sought the role of UN staff here in Nepal to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Nepal's elusive peace process and Guterres’ initiative
He made it clear that his Nepal visit is primarily centered on the matters related to concluding the peace process, assisting those affected by the impact of climate change and facilitating Nepal to graduate to a developing country from the category of the least developed countries. He reminded that the interests of survivors be prioritized while taking the transitional justice process to a conclusion.
Expressing his concerns about Nepal bearing the brunt of the impacts of climate change including snow melting although it does not have any role in carbon emissions globally, Secretary-General Guterres stressed the need for all stakeholders to take the matter seriously.
Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, the UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, said all assistance would continue to upgrade Nepal to a developing country and achieve sustainable peace as per the UN guidelines and recommendations. The UN continues to support Nepal for the implementation of its constitutional rights and equitable inclusive development, she added.
On the occasion, singer Ani Choying Dolma sang songs related to peace. Similarly, UN Secretary-General Guterres planted tree saplings on the premises of the UN Building.
Guterres arrived in Nepal on Sunday at the invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
