Kathmandu, Dec 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba returned home on Sunday evening, wrapping up her two-week foreign visit, where she engaged in high-level meetings, and strongly advocated for climate justice on behalf of Nepal.
Talking to media-persons at the Tribhuvan International Airport, she described her visit as successful, noting that it drew the global attention to the adverse impacts of climate change and the compensation the country is entitled to under the principle of climate justice.
During her Europe visit which took place on December 7, Dr Rana appealed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, on December 9, pointing out the adverse impacts of climate change on Nepal and the need for climate justice.
This was the first time Nepal raised the issue of climate justice in the ICJ.
During her visit, Dr Rana separately met with Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Xavier Bettel and Belgium’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Bernard Quintin, discussing various aspects of bilateral relations and exploring ways for future cooperation.
She also held bilateral meetings with Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, and Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships at the European Commission, discussing the relationship between Nepal and the European Union, the impact of climate change on Nepal, and climate justice Nepal deserves.
During the meetings, she urged the removal of EU’s ban on Nepali airlines in European skies. In Germany, she visited the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany, and interacted with scientists and researchers to conduct research on the impact of climate change on Nepal’s mountainous regions and communities.
On December 17, Dr Rana addressed the Equal Rights Coalition Conference in Berlin, Germany, highlighting Nepal’s achievements in inclusion and human rights for the LGBTQI+ community.
Dr Rana concluded her visit New Delhi, India, on Friday, where she addressed the Indo-Nepal Economic Conference held in New Delhi, requesting India to open additional air routes.
She urged Indian airline operators for additional flights, and called for India’s cooperation particularly to enhance the operational capacity of the recently constructed Pokhara and Gautam Buddha International Airports.
Responding to media queries, she clarified that she did not formal political engagements with Indian officials during her stay in New Delhi as her visit primarily focused on follow-up medical check-ups. #arzu #nepal #mofa
