PM KP Sharma Oli Addresses ‘Summit of the Future’ at the 79th UN General Assembly

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, leading the Nepali delegation to the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), delivered a compelling address at the ‘Summit of the Future’ session on Sunday at the UN headquarters in New York. Representing the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), PM Oli highlighted the pressing global challenges facing LDCs, with a focus on poverty, industrialization, and climate justice.

During his speech, PM Oli emphasized the critical need for industrialization and increased production to combat poverty, which remains a shared challenge for LDCs. He pointed out that while these countries contribute minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, they bear the brunt of climate change’s devastating impacts. He called on developed nations to step up their investment in climate financing, underlining the urgent need for global solidarity.

“Millions of children in LDCs go hungry every day, deprived of their basic rights to food and education,” PM Oli said, stressing that poverty is a significant barrier to a sustainable future for the world’s most vulnerable. He urged concerted international efforts for poverty alleviation and underscored the moral imperative for wealthier nations to address the growing inequality.

PM Oli expressed concern over the unmet commitments of Official Development Assistance (ODA), delayed international support, and rising debt distress in LDCs. He also raised the issue of the digital divide, which continues to widen the gap between rich and poor countries. The Prime Minister criticized the current global financial and trading systems as being fundamentally unfair to LDCs.

Despite these challenges, PM Oli spoke optimistically about the future, welcoming the adoption of the “Pact for the Future” as a blueprint for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. He called for a renewed commitment to multilateralism and stronger global governance structures that include LDCs at the center of decision-making processes.

The Prime Minister concluded by urging global leaders to invest in productive capacities, sustainable development, and rural upliftment, advocating for meaningful partnerships to ensure equitable progress for all nations.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, Principal Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, and Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Lok Bahadur Thapa, were among the dignitaries present during PM Oli’s address.