Madhav, Nepal & UN
By Yuba Nath Lamsal
Prime Minister Madhav Nepal is in New York, USA with a pack of officials and his loyalists to take part in the 64th plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA is already in session in the UN Headquarters in New York and Prime Minister Nepal is expected to use the UN forum to apprise the international community of Nepal’s pressing problems, issues and their possible solution.
Opportunity
The Prime Minister has tight schedule. He has already addressed the UN Climate Summit hosted by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. In his address, he has openly and clearly raised the environmental issues facing the world including Nepal. In another function, he has raised the international security system and hailed the role played by the United Nations in the international peace-keeping operation. Nepal has been sending its peace-keeping troops to different troubled spots in the world at the call of the United Nations. Nepal wants to increase its contribution to the UN peace keeping mission provided the Himalayan republic gets more logistic support from the world body. It is a big support Nepal has been extending to the United Nations. In response, the world body has also been providing its material and other supports for Nepal’s social and economic development through its different specialized agencies.
Apart from addressing the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Nepal has some other schedules including meeting with several heads of states or governments from different countries. This would, certainly, be a unique opportunity for Nepal’s prime minister to share and exchange views on several international issues as well as Nepal’s own problems. He used this opportunity to meet with US president Barrack Obama and several other heads of state and government from different countries in the world. During the meeting with the world leaders in general and US president Obama and British Prime Minister Brown, he discussed bilateral and international issues and shared their views on tackling the problems facing the world.
Nepal is currently in difficult phase of history. It is in the process of transforming the country into a democratic republic. Already suffered from acute poverty, backwardness and more than a decade-long armed conflict, Nepal has entered into a new era which is sure to herald a prosperous and brighter future of its citizens. This is an instance that Nepal has been capable to manage its violent conflict on its own strength. There was definitely support, both moral as well as material, from the international community. Be it the process of development or democratization, the international community is always supportive to Nepal. The United Nations, United States, United Kingdom and some other developed countries have been instrumental in Nepal’s development and peace.
The peace process that is underway must be concluded successfully so that permanent peace, stability and prosperity would be ensured in the Himalayan republic. As an important part of the peace process, Nepal is now busy in writing the new constitution which would formally institutionalize the achievements of the Jana Andolan II that made the monarchy a history. As Nepal is in the process of institutionalization of peace and democracy, the United Nations has played a pivotal role.
The United Nations is providing its direct support to Nepal’s peace process. The United Nations Mission in Nepal or UNMIN is supervising the peace process and monitoring the management of the arms and army. The management of the Maoist arms and combatants is a key component of the peace agreement reached between the Maoists and the Nepal government about four years ago. The peace process cannot be concluded without properly managing the Maoists combatants and their arms. In this process, the United Nations has a key role in Nepal. Although there are some lacunas in the UNMIN’s role in Nepal, UN’s presence and its support are a must for concluding the peace process.
Moreover, Nepal attaches greater importance to the UN role in the international peace and order, which the Prime Minister has duly spoken. This can be substantiated by the fact that the adherence to the UN Charter and its ideals have been the fundamental basis of Nepal’s foreign policy. Nepal always wants stronger and more effective United Nations so that the world body can more effectively deal with the conflict and crisis in the world. Although there are plenty of people who are critical of the role of the United Nations on a number of international issues, they have not been able to present the alternative to the United Nations. Given the complex international situation and growing crisis, we cannot imagine the world without the United Nations. It is true that UN has not been effective on several issues in the world. But it is not because of the lack of will of the world body but because of the lack of resources. If the UN has to be more effective and strengthened, it has to be more equipped with resources. At present the UN is facing financial crisis because some of the richer countries have not contributed to the UN as per their pledges. Nepal’s fundamental concern is that UN must be made stronger and more resourceful so that it can act more effectively on the issues plaguing the world.
The most pressing problem that has emerged lately is the climate change. All the countries in the world have already felt the impact of the climate change. The climate change is likely to create a wide range of economic, social and environmental problems. As the weather pattern has witnessed a change in the world, it may cause food shortage and food insecurity. Similarly, the climate change and environmental catastrophe would have negative impact on human health. As a result, the poor and least developed countries would suffer more from poverty, hunger and disease accompanied by social and political unrest. If this trend is not reversed, the situation of the developing counties would deteriorate and these countries would not be able to achieve the millennium development goals (MGDs) by 2015. This situation requires the United Nations to act promptly to address the issue of climate change. But the UN cannot act unless the member states express their resolve collectively and provide their support which is at their disposal. But the onus lies more on the richer countries which can make the UN more resourceful in launching programmes to fight the climate change because the role and activities of the richer nations are more responsible for the climate change.
In addition, the Prime Minister has sought more moral and material support from the world community for Nepal’s peace, democratization and social sectors. The Prime Minister’s call has, of course, been received well by the international community. More importantly, the American President Obama’s invitation to Prime Minister Nepal for a formal meeting and talks is an indication that America now attaches importance to Nepal’s present regime.
After the conclusion of the peace process, even more important phase would begin in Nepal—that is the reconstruction and development. The reconstruction and development works would require a huge fund which Nepal does not have in its possession. Thus, Nepal will have to depend upon the international community for financing the reconstruction and development projects. The international community is definitely sympathetic to the Mahav Nepal led-government and if the present regime understands this gesture properly and utilizes this opportunity Nepal can get more meaningful support from the international community. Herein lies the test of ability of the present government headed .
Prime Minister Madhav Nepal is in New York, USA with a pack of officials and his loyalists to take part in the 64th plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA is already in session in the UN Headquarters in New York and Prime Minister Nepal is expected to use the UN forum to apprise the international community of Nepal’s pressing problems, issues and their possible solution.
Opportunity
The Prime Minister has tight schedule. He has already addressed the UN Climate Summit hosted by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. In his address, he has openly and clearly raised the environmental issues facing the world including Nepal. In another function, he has raised the international security system and hailed the role played by the United Nations in the international peace-keeping operation. Nepal has been sending its peace-keeping troops to different troubled spots in the world at the call of the United Nations. Nepal wants to increase its contribution to the UN peace keeping mission provided the Himalayan republic gets more logistic support from the world body. It is a big support Nepal has been extending to the United Nations. In response, the world body has also been providing its material and other supports for Nepal’s social and economic development through its different specialized agencies.
Apart from addressing the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Nepal has some other schedules including meeting with several heads of states or governments from different countries. This would, certainly, be a unique opportunity for Nepal’s prime minister to share and exchange views on several international issues as well as Nepal’s own problems. He used this opportunity to meet with US president Barrack Obama and several other heads of state and government from different countries in the world. During the meeting with the world leaders in general and US president Obama and British Prime Minister Brown, he discussed bilateral and international issues and shared their views on tackling the problems facing the world.
Nepal is currently in difficult phase of history. It is in the process of transforming the country into a democratic republic. Already suffered from acute poverty, backwardness and more than a decade-long armed conflict, Nepal has entered into a new era which is sure to herald a prosperous and brighter future of its citizens. This is an instance that Nepal has been capable to manage its violent conflict on its own strength. There was definitely support, both moral as well as material, from the international community. Be it the process of development or democratization, the international community is always supportive to Nepal. The United Nations, United States, United Kingdom and some other developed countries have been instrumental in Nepal’s development and peace.
The peace process that is underway must be concluded successfully so that permanent peace, stability and prosperity would be ensured in the Himalayan republic. As an important part of the peace process, Nepal is now busy in writing the new constitution which would formally institutionalize the achievements of the Jana Andolan II that made the monarchy a history. As Nepal is in the process of institutionalization of peace and democracy, the United Nations has played a pivotal role.
The United Nations is providing its direct support to Nepal’s peace process. The United Nations Mission in Nepal or UNMIN is supervising the peace process and monitoring the management of the arms and army. The management of the Maoist arms and combatants is a key component of the peace agreement reached between the Maoists and the Nepal government about four years ago. The peace process cannot be concluded without properly managing the Maoists combatants and their arms. In this process, the United Nations has a key role in Nepal. Although there are some lacunas in the UNMIN’s role in Nepal, UN’s presence and its support are a must for concluding the peace process.
Moreover, Nepal attaches greater importance to the UN role in the international peace and order, which the Prime Minister has duly spoken. This can be substantiated by the fact that the adherence to the UN Charter and its ideals have been the fundamental basis of Nepal’s foreign policy. Nepal always wants stronger and more effective United Nations so that the world body can more effectively deal with the conflict and crisis in the world. Although there are plenty of people who are critical of the role of the United Nations on a number of international issues, they have not been able to present the alternative to the United Nations. Given the complex international situation and growing crisis, we cannot imagine the world without the United Nations. It is true that UN has not been effective on several issues in the world. But it is not because of the lack of will of the world body but because of the lack of resources. If the UN has to be more effective and strengthened, it has to be more equipped with resources. At present the UN is facing financial crisis because some of the richer countries have not contributed to the UN as per their pledges. Nepal’s fundamental concern is that UN must be made stronger and more resourceful so that it can act more effectively on the issues plaguing the world.
The most pressing problem that has emerged lately is the climate change. All the countries in the world have already felt the impact of the climate change. The climate change is likely to create a wide range of economic, social and environmental problems. As the weather pattern has witnessed a change in the world, it may cause food shortage and food insecurity. Similarly, the climate change and environmental catastrophe would have negative impact on human health. As a result, the poor and least developed countries would suffer more from poverty, hunger and disease accompanied by social and political unrest. If this trend is not reversed, the situation of the developing counties would deteriorate and these countries would not be able to achieve the millennium development goals (MGDs) by 2015. This situation requires the United Nations to act promptly to address the issue of climate change. But the UN cannot act unless the member states express their resolve collectively and provide their support which is at their disposal. But the onus lies more on the richer countries which can make the UN more resourceful in launching programmes to fight the climate change because the role and activities of the richer nations are more responsible for the climate change.
In addition, the Prime Minister has sought more moral and material support from the world community for Nepal’s peace, democratization and social sectors. The Prime Minister’s call has, of course, been received well by the international community. More importantly, the American President Obama’s invitation to Prime Minister Nepal for a formal meeting and talks is an indication that America now attaches importance to Nepal’s present regime.
After the conclusion of the peace process, even more important phase would begin in Nepal—that is the reconstruction and development. The reconstruction and development works would require a huge fund which Nepal does not have in its possession. Thus, Nepal will have to depend upon the international community for financing the reconstruction and development projects. The international community is definitely sympathetic to the Mahav Nepal led-government and if the present regime understands this gesture properly and utilizes this opportunity Nepal can get more meaningful support from the international community. Herein lies the test of ability of the present government headed .
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