Kathmandu, Oct 15: Roshani Adhikari Pathak has been elected as the Regional Councillor for South and East Asia of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for the term 2026–2029. She was the sole candidate representing Nepal in the election.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal had actively lobbied for her candidacy through Nepali missions abroad, including Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to secure her election.
The election took place during the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, held in Abu Dhabi from 9 to 15 October, where seven candidates from India, China, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, and Nepal competed for five Regional Councillor seats.
Adhikari, a veteran environmental journalist with more than two decades of experience, previously served a two-year term (from October 2022) as President of the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ) — a leading civil advocacy organization in Nepal.
Expressing her commitment following her election, Adhikari stated, “As an IUCN Regional Councillor, I will advocate for the conservation of the Himalayan region and the protection of its fragile ecosystems.” She emphasized her intent to bring global attention to the challenges Nepal faces due to climate change.
According to the Embassy of Nepal in Abu Dhabi, Ambassador Mr. Tel Bahadur Chhetri attended the opening ceremony of the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The Nepali delegation, comprising representatives from both government and non-government sectors, actively participated in the event. The government delegation was led by Mr. Bed Kumar Dhakal, Deputy Director at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, with Ms. Ranjita Dahal, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Nepal in Abu Dhabi, serving as co-representative.
Representatives from Nepal’s non-government sector also took part in the Congress. Notably, a “Red Panda Carpet” event was organized by a Nepali non-state organization in collaboration with the Red Panda Network Nepal, highlighting community-based conservation efforts.
Meanwhile, Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak of the United Arab Emirates was re-elected for a second term as IUCN President for the 2026–2029 period.
Held every four years, the IUCN World Conservation Congress convenes governments, Indigenous groups, civil society, the private sector, scientists, and environmental experts to define the global conservation and sustainable development agenda. The 2025 Congress focused on implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework, promoting regional equity, and accelerating nature-positive actions worldwide. #iucn #nepal #NEFEJ
