Opinion | Nepal finally found its voice at the UN
Summary
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah used his UN General Assembly address to name India and China publicly, propose a Himalaya Climate Resilience Mechanism, and press for stronger cooperation on disaster response. The move came after deadly floods in Nepal and marked a sharper, more direct foreign-policy tone.
Key Points
- Balendra Shah’s UN speech broke with years of Nepalese caution by naming India and China directly and thanking them for flood assistance.
- He proposed a Himalaya Climate Resilience Mechanism led by Nepal, India and China to monitor glacial lakes and improve disaster response.
- The article links Shah’s shift to the deadly Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods, which killed 1,453 people and left nearly 4,800 missing.
- It argues Nepal should turn the proposal into a concrete agreement ahead of COP31 and seek better climate finance for mountain nations.
