Democracy is the best medicine to end conflict: Foreign Minister Khadka

At the 76th General Assembly of the United Nations, Nepal said that democracy and multilateralism are the best medicine to end the risk of conflict and tension in ethnic-majority societies. .

Stating that Nepal has firm belief in the inevitability of multilateralism and the United Nations is at its center, Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka expressed the view that multilateralism would enhance mutual understanding and cooperation in the world, ensure a common future for the people of the world and promote common interests.

He added how the time has come to transform crisis into opportunity, despair into hope and risk into response.

Khadka also stressed the need to build a strong, inclusive and interconnected multilateral system on the grounds of cooperation, unity and mutual trust. "We must do our duty for the people we serve and for the earth we live in," said Minister Khadka, pointing out the need for world leaders to work for the sake of the earth and its people.

Explaining how Nepal's worldview is based on the principle of the UN Charter, non-alignment, international law and the values of world peace were the basis of Nepal's foreign policy.

For more than 63 years, Nepal has been contributing to the United Nations peacekeeping mission to promote peace, security and stability, and Nepal's long-standing demand that Nepal, one of the largest contributors of troops, be included in the UN headquarters and jurisdiction.

“The structural challenges of Nepal's development as a least developed and landlocked country are unique. We are committed to taking our plan to upgrade from an underdeveloped nation by 2026 as an opportunity to carry out structural transformation and make that long-standing national aspiration- comfortable, sustainable and unchangeable, ”said the Foreign Minister.

He reiterated Nepal's commitment to the path of uplifting climate development by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050, citing the fact that Nepal has a negligible share in greenhouse gas emissions, but also the impact of climate change.

Stating that underdeveloped and landlocked developing countries need reliable and sustainable financial assistance, partnerships and technology transfer by removing their structural barriers to benefit from globalization, he stressed that the ongoing crisis should not be used as an excuse to back away from external development assistance commitments.

Minister Khadka argued that there should not only be an international trade organization based on WTO method but also a body to provide more assistance to developing countries for international trade as well as technology transfer and capacity building.

"We call for the effective implementation of the 'Global Compact' for safe, orderly and regular migration, and for a stronger international system for the protection and welfare of migrant workers," he said.

Stressing that vaccine inequality has a profound adverse socio-economic impact on low-income countries, the Foreign Minister stressed the need to declare vaccines as public goods for the benefit of the people, and to revive hope in times of crisis. He said, "Nepal appreciates the efforts made by the international community, including the United Nations, to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 and to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines everywhere."

He condemned all forms and manifestations of terrorism, saying that human life should be the first priority and that Nepal had succeeded in vaccinating about 20 percent of its population by overcoming the barriers and challenges of accessing COVID-19 vaccines. He also called for the complete disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction in a timely manner.

Expressing concern over the situation in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Libya, Syria, Yemen and the Middle East, the Foreign Minister called on all parties concerned to ensure peace, security and stability as well as the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people.

Emphasizing on the protection and promotion of human rights, Minister Khadka said that the epidemic has added complexity to Nepal's efforts to achieve the goal of sustainable development. He said that the only objective of Nepal is to achieve the goal of sustainable development by making efforts for uplifting recovery and leading to better and stronger construction.