Kathmandu, May 29: Nepal has expressed its solidarity with the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) and called on the international community for its effective implementation.
In her address to the ongoing Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) on behalf of the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal stressed the need for the effective implementation of the Action.
According to Nepal’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, the Conference underway in Antigua and Barbuda, reviewed progress in the advancements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the SIDS.
Addressing the Conference as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Secretary Lamsal offered gratitude to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, congratulated the SIDS for adopting Antigua and Barbuda Action for SIDS (ABAS), expressed LDCs’ solidarity with them, and called the international community for the effective implementation of ABAS, according to the press note issued by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN.
Several Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers, and High-level dignitaries addressed the General Debate.
Lamsal attended the Official Opening Ceremony of SIDS4 convened under the theme of “Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity” on May 27.
Following the Opening Segment, the Foreign Secretary held a meeting with the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States, Rabab Fatima. The discussions were focused on various issues of the Nepal-UN partnership, including the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action, Nepal’s graduation and smooth transition, and the upcoming Third International Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3).
On the margins of the Conference, the Foreign Secretary met with Igor Zhovkva, Head of the Ukrainian delegation, and Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
In the meeting, matters related to Nepal-Ukraine relations and multilateral cooperation were discussed. She also had a bilateral meeting with Minna-Liina Lind, the Vice-Minister and Head of the Estonian Delegation.
They discussed Nepal-Estonia relations and cooperation under the UN frameworks.