Let me begin by
congratulating the President on his election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth
session. Let me also express our sincere appreciation to
His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of
the United Nations, for the strong commitment and
dedication with which he has been serving the United
Nations. We wish him further success in his second
term.
Nepal warmly welcomes the Republic of South
Sudan as the newest member of the United Nations.
It is a distinct honour and privilege for me to
bring to the General Assembly the voice of the
voiceless of the world. I have brought with me
greetings from the nearly 30 million toiling, but proud,
people of Nepal, who have recently liberated
themselves from an age-old feudal monarchy and
autocracy. Nepal is the enchanting land of Mount
Everest, the top of the world. It is the birthplace of
Gautam Buddha, the apostle of peace. It possesses an
unbelievable variety of natural beauty and diversity.
In recent years, a momentous transformation has
taken place in Nepal. After a long and persistent
struggle, the feudalistic and autocratic monarchy has
been abolished. We have entered into a new historic era
with the creation of the new Federal Democratic
Republic of Nepal. Today, the new State apparatus
strives to take into account the multi-ethnic,
multilingual and multicultural diversity of the country.
The abolition of all discrimination and oppression on
the basis of class, gender, nationality, region and caste
and the creation of an inclusive democratic system and
a just society are at the heart of all our decades-long
struggles. Thanks to the ultimate sacrifice of the
thousands of martyrs of the historic people’s war of
1996 to 2006, the people’s movement of 2006, the
Madheshi movement and many other oppressed
people’s movements, we have come this far to lay the
foundation of a new Nepal.
We must consolidate those historic gains and
institutionalize them in order to establish sustainable
peace, justice and prosperity for all. My Government is
fully committed to doing that with the conclusion of
the peace process and the writing of a new constitution
through the Constituent Assembly at the earliest. The
constitution will not only guarantee fundamental
democratic norms and values, but it will also ensure
that our multiparty democracy is inclusive,
participatory and life-changing for all, especially the
oppressed labouring masses and marginalized people.
It is rightly said that the highest measure of democracy
is neither the extent of freedom nor the extent of
equality; rather, it is the highest measure of
participation. We want to institutionalize a genuinely
participatory democracy for all, particularly those who
are downtrodden.
In that context, I would like to remind the
Assembly of the poignant words expressed from this
rostrum in 2008 by the Chairman of my party, the
Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, and the
then Prime Minister, Comrade Prachanda, about the
landless peasants, the downtrodden women, the so-
called untouchable dalits and the millions of exploited
masses of Nepal, who aspire to liberation from all
forms of oppression and exploitation.
Nepal’s home-driven peace process and historic
transformation are unique and could be a good example
for drawing lessons. We believe that transformation has
to be holistic in order to have a long-lasting impact at
the grass-roots level. Transformation in the political,
social and economic fields has to be brought about
holistically. It is attainable with dedication, dialogue
and consensus-building among stakeholders. As in any
other country, transitional pains and delays exist.
However, we are united in our vision, and we intend to
complete the transition process with the consensus and
cooperation of all political parties and stakeholders. We
are confident that, with international goodwill and
cooperation, we will achieve it at the earliest.
Nepal’s foreign policy is based on the
fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter,
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non-alignment and panchsheel and the promotion of
regional cooperation through the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation. We would like
to be a vibrant bridge between our two neighbours,
India and China, and beyond. At a time when
humankind is so much in need of peace and when we
all strive for it, we particularly appeal for the
development of Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, as
the fountain of world peace through effective
international support and cooperation. The
International Committee for the Development of
Lumbini needs to be reactivated at the earliest.
I extend sincere thanks to the United Nations,
especially the United Nations Mission in Nepal, for
providing invaluable support and assistance throughout
our peace process. We are hopeful that we will
continue to receive the goodwill and support of the
international community in our efforts to
institutionalize lasting peace, equity and prosperity in
the country. The United Nations upholds the noble
vision of peace and security, development, justice and
human rights for all. But if we look around the world,
we have a long way to go to achieve this. We still face
conflicts, deprivation and demeaning poverty all
around us. How can we achieve sustainable peace in
the world when there is so much inequity, deprivation
and marginalization around us? We have to deal with
their root causes. How can one justify the spending of
$1.5 trillion on war weapons every year while more
than 2 billion people across the globe lack the basic
necessities of food, medicine, et cetera?
In that context, I appeal to the United Nations to
come forward with a far-reaching and comprehensive
development package. We need a new Marshall Plan
for the rebuilding and reconstruction of post-conflict
countries. Lip service and symbolic support are not
enough. It is now time for a bold, visionary step to deal
with the complex problems of today that would be the
most cost-effective approach to deal with global
problems and ensure sustainable peace.
The principles and purposes of the Organization
as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations
represent the highest ideals of the global community.
Yet we live in an age of paradox. The gap between the
poor and the rich is ever-widening. Today, the level of
inequality between States is the highest of any time in
the past. Least developed countries (LDCs) — or, as I
would prefer to call them, underdeveloped countries —
are facing the full force of the negative side of
globalization that is its deep structural constraints.
Growing joblessness is a major challenge for all
of us. In this integrated world, the grinding poverty of
the masses, who number in the billions, is a recipe for
disaster. Islands of prosperity amid a sea of poverty are
unsustainable, morally indefensible and economically
undesirable. In a globalized and interconnected world,
our destiny is inextricably intertwined. When my house
is on fire, your house cannot be safe, and vice versa.
The recurrence of economic and financial crises,
fuel and food crises and the deeper structural crises
have vindicated the need to seriously review the
current economic paradigm. I believe that now is the
right time for deeper soul-searching and the creation of
a new, just and scientific economic order. The new
global economic order needs to deal with the current
global volatility and the growing marginalization of
poor and weaker economies. The financial, capital-
driven globalization process is increasingly exposing
its inherent structural deficiencies and its
incompatibility. Unless the interest of labour, the basic
source of human wealth, is duly integrated in this
process, we may soon face the globalization of unrest
and upheaval. The United Nations should act as the
principal forum to examine that in a coherent, inclusive
and holistic manner.
Least developed countries face severe structural
constraints on their development efforts. Their
vulnerabilities have been further aggravated by
multiple crises. Despite some good progress in
achieving individual goals, LDCs as a group are mostly
off-track in meeting the internationally agreed upon
development goals, including those contained in the
Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2). A rights-
based approach to development is a must.
It is quite disheartening that even today about
75 per cent of LDC populations live in abject poverty
and hunger. This situation is unacceptable and must
come to an end sooner rather than later. Business as
usual will not be a solution to deep-rooted problems.
The historically structured process of “development of
underdevelopment” needs to be structurally addressed.
The Istanbul Declaration and Programme of
Action must be implemented in their entirety and in an
effective and timely manner. In particular, financing
for development should be ensured as per the
commitment that has been made. Duty-free, quota-free
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market access and supply-side capacity must be
ensured to LDCs. Investment, technology transfer and
private sector development should be promoted in
LDCs. They are essential to achieving the legitimate
aspirations of LDCs. A renewed and strengthened
global partnership is critical to their implementation.
We do not want to see another missed opportunity for
LDCs.
Nepal, in its capacity as Chair of the LDCs, will
make every effort, in cooperation with our fellow
LDCs, to ensure that the issues and concerns of LDCs
remain high on the priority list of the United Nations
development agenda. Similarly, the special difficulties
of landlocked developing countries should be
recognized. Freedom of transit should be ensured to
them as a matter of right, together with the scaling up
of support for trade facilitation and infrastructure
development.
Labour migration is a global phenomenon. We
must protect the rights of all migrant workers and their
family members to ensure that globalization is fair to
all. As Nepal’s economy is increasingly dependent on
remittances, that issue is very crucial for us.
Clearly, climate change has emerged as one of the
greatest challenges of the twenty-first century. Global
warming has precipitated the melting of the snow in
the Nepal Himalayas, a source of fresh water for over
1 billion people who live in South Asia. We have
therefore taken the initiative of promoting the
sustainable mountain agenda in order to highlight their
special vulnerabilities and fragilities. Industrialized
countries should bear greater responsibility for that.
There is an urgent need to make progress in
climate negotiations and to ensure enhanced and
predictable financing. The United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development summit scheduled for
next year is critical to defining a more sustainable
development path and to eradicating poverty for LDCs.
The sustainable development agenda should encompass
all ecological considerations, including the crucial
issue of sustainable mountain development.
Nepal reiterates its call for the general and
complete disarmament of all weapons of mass
destruction in a time-bound manner. Nepal strongly
believes that regional mechanisms complement efforts
to promote the global disarmament agenda. The United
Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in
Asia and the Pacific, located in Kathmandu, could be
instrumental in revitalizing the Kathmandu process to
facilitate dialogue and deliberations on confidence-
building in the region.
Nepal unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations and calls for an expeditious
conclusion of the negotiations on a comprehensive
convention on international terrorism. We should
differentiate between terrorism and struggles for
freedom.
Nepal’s commitment to human rights is deep and
unflinching. We are fully aware that the protection and
promotion of all human rights, including the right to
development and fundamental freedoms, strengthens
the sustainability of peace and progress. We have
established an independent constitutional body — the
National Human Rights Commission — as a watchdog
institution. We are committed to building and
strengthening that specialized national institution as a
true custodian of human rights.
The General Assembly, which is the only
universally representative body at the global level,
needs to be given commensurate power and authority
to truly work as a world parliament. It should not
remain toothless. Similarly, Nepal supports the
expansion in the membership of the Security Council
in both categories. Reform must address all interrelated
issues, such as representation, as well as transparency
and accountability in the working methods of the
Security Council. The role and contributions of smaller
States in the maintenance of international peace and
security must be duly acknowledged.
We underline the crucial role of the United
Nations in promoting international cooperation for
development. Its role in shaping the policy debate on,
and establishing global norms in, economic and
financial matters must be strengthened. Nepal
welcomes all efforts aimed at promoting system-wide
coherence, including the operationalization of
UN-Women.
Nepal’s participation in United Nations
peacekeeping is long-standing and consistent. We
remain steadfast in our commitment to international
peace and security. Nepal has already provided more
than 80,000 peacekeepers, with 62 of our soldiers
having laid down their lives in the line of duty. We
would therefore like to call for equitable representation
at the leadership level.
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In recent times, we have witnessed an outpouring
of popular sentiment calling for change and freedom
around the world. We believe that this is a sign of a
new beginning, where people are asserting themselves
as the masters of their own destinies. We applaud these
changes. We should support them based on the
fundamental principles of the United Nations.
However, no one should hijack the agenda of
democracy for partisan ends.
The long-drawn-out peace process in the Middle
East is a matter of serious concern for us all. We must
find a comprehensive and just solution to these
problems. It is our principled position that we support a
fully independent and sovereign Palestinian State based
on United Nations resolutions. We look forward to its
materialization at the earliest date.
Finally, let me reiterate that the United Nations
principles must be holistic and should be pursued in a
balanced manner. The United Nations should not only
be the custodian of its noble principles; it must deliver
on its promises. Let it not be a mere umbrella for the
big Powers. In today’s globalized world, the United
Nations has more responsibility than ever before for
creating an inclusive and just global order. Let it not
falter in its historic duties.
Let the United Nations serve the larger interests
of the poor and the weakest segment of the
international community. Let the economic
transformation of the least developed countries with a
rights-based approach be at the top of the United
Nations agenda. Let the United Nations not fail the
aspirations of millions of people for freedom, equality
and prosperity. Let its vision be translated into a visible
change in the lives of oppressed people. Last but not
least, let us keep in mind that either we all reach the
goal of global peace and prosperity together, or nobody
will.