Binod Chaudhary elected to ICAPP standing committee

Nepali Congress Vice President Binod Chaudhary has been elected a member of the Standing Committee of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), according to reports from Onlinekhabar, DC Nepal and Lokaantar on November 5. The election took place at the organization's 13th General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea.

ICAPP serves as a regional platform for political parties across Asia to engage in dialogue, foster cooperation, and build mutual understanding. The Standing Committee plays a central role in coordinating the organization's activities, policies, and future direction. The reports name India's former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Malaysia's Deputy Minister Dr. Fuziah Salleh, Sri Lanka's Minister Bimal Rathnayake, and Japanese lawmaker Maiko Tajima among the senior political figures on the committee alongside Chaudhary.

Focus on economic and political reform

Addressing the assembly, Chaudhary said Nepal needs to empower its private sector, attract foreign investment, and connect domestic industries to the global market. As reported by DC Nepal and Onlinekhabar, he described the South Korean development model as one Nepal could follow, and named as its defining feature a state that plays a strategic, guiding role while private enterprise expands.

Chaudhary also spoke about domestic politics. Citing the Nepali Congress's democratic legacy, he acknowledged the party's past shortcomings and said its current leadership was committed to correcting them, according to DC Nepal and Onlinekhabar. He said the questions young people in Nepal have raised about corruption, governance, and opportunity should be taken seriously and answered with meaningful reform and results rather than acknowledgement alone, and that trust in political leadership is not automatic but is earned through honesty and results-oriented work. Both outlets reported him as saying that the true value of political leadership is measured not by the power gained but by the trust earned and the future built.

Climate and regional cooperation

Beyond economic policy, Chaudhary drew attention to the growing risks that climate change poses in the Himalayan region. He called the recent devastating flood in the Bhote Koshi area a serious warning and said all countries should work with shared responsibility to reduce such risks.

Before leaving for Seoul, Chaudhary told Clickmandu that he was eager to exchange ideas with political leaders across Asia, and said the conference's theme of rebuilding trust in a transformative world was especially relevant to Nepal. Reports said his election is expected to strengthen Nepal's participation in regional political dialogue and to help bring economic transformation, inclusive development, and international cooperation onto the Asian platform.