Khanal Signs Rwanda Pact, Raises Nepal's Climate Disasters With Sri Lanka and UN
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal signed a cooperation pact with Rwanda and raised Nepal’s recent climate disasters during talks with Sri Lanka and the UN General Assembly president.
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal wrapped up a series of high-level diplomatic engagements on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, signing a bilateral cooperation agreement with Rwanda and pushing Nepal’s climate concerns in meetings with Sri Lanka and UN leadership.
During a sideline ceremony in New York, Khanal signed a General Cooperation Agreement with Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, Nepal Watch reported. The pact establishes an institutional framework for the two nations to identify and broaden collaboration across multiple sectors of mutual interest. Nepal and Rwanda first established formal bilateral ties in 2018 and have since coordinated within the UN and other multilateral bodies.
Climate vulnerability and post-disaster recovery took center stage in Khanal’s bilateral talks with Sri Lankan Foreign, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath. According to reports by Gorkhapatra and Setopati, Khanal conveyed Nepal’s gratitude to the government and people of Sri Lanka for providing humanitarian and financial assistance following recent catastrophic climate-induced disasters across the country.
The two ministers reviewed overall bilateral relations and committed to convening meetings of existing bilateral mechanisms to strengthen ties. Khanal and Herath agreed to expand partnership initiatives in trade, tourism, education, connectivity, cultural exchange, and people-to-people relations, both outlets reported.
In a separate meeting at the United Nations headquarters, Khanal met with the President of the 81st UN General Assembly, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, according to Setopati. Khanal congratulated Rahman on assuming the presidency and assured him of Nepal’s full backing throughout his tenure.
The discussions focused on advancing Rahman’s institutional priorities for the 81st session and reinforcing multilateral governance centered around the United Nations system. The two also discussed the damage caused by Nepal's recent climate-induced disasters, Setopati reported.