KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 26

Prime Minister Balendra Shah returned home on Saturday after attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he called for stronger international action on climate justice.

Shah, who left Kathmandu on September 22 leading a Nepali delegation, addressed the General Assembly on Friday. He urged the international community not to limit climate justice to commitments in UN documents and highlighted the impact of climate-induced disasters on Nepal.

Referring to the August 26 Bhotekoshi flood, Shah said the disaster had caused extensive loss of life and property and should be viewed as a warning beyond Nepal. He said climate change respects no geographical boundaries, noting that “glaciers and floods do not travel with a ‘visa’ in their ‘passport’.”

Shah also proposed establishing a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism under the leadership of Nepal, India and China. He said people in vulnerable countries should be given opportunities to build their future rather than repeatedly being forced to rebuild what disasters destroy.

During his visit, Shah met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday. Guterres expressed condolences over the Bhotekoshi disaster and said the United Nations stood in solidarity with Nepal on climate issues. Shah thanked Guterres for his support and congratulated him on his tenure.

At Tribhuvan International Airport, Shah was received by Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, Home Minister Sudhan Gurung and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Paudel.

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, who had travelled to New York ahead of Shah, is continuing to participate in UNGA-related programmes, according to his secretariat.