Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal today briefed the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, on Nepal’s participation in the 81st United Nations General Assembly and announced his upcoming visits to Fiji, Tuvalu, and Australia for climate events and bilateral discussions.
Minister Khanal informed the House that Prime Minister Balen Shah’s statement at the General Assembly’s ‘general debate’ contributed to advancing climate justice. Prime Minister Shah addressed the assembly on September 24, 2026, advocating for climate justice, highlighting increasing disasters in the Himalayan region, and proposing a ‘Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism’ jointly led by Nepal, India, and China. He emphasized that Nepal, despite contributing less than 0.1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, is disproportionately affected by climate change and called for grant-based international support for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.
During his participation in the United Nations General Assembly, Minister Khanal met with high-ranking officials and counterparts from various countries, including Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Dr. Khalilur Rahman, the President of the 81st UN General Assembly. Nepal also established diplomatic relations with the Caribbean nation Grenada and the African nations Namibia and Senegal, increasing the number of countries with formal bilateral diplomatic ties to 188. Nepal also played a leading role as the chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of Least Developed Countries.
Minister Khanal is set to depart for Fiji on Saturday, October 3, 2026, to participate in the Pre-COP Leaders Event on climate change, scheduled for October 5 and 6, 2026. This event serves as a preparatory meeting for COP31, which will be held in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20, 2026. He will address the Leaders Plenary session on October 6 and participate in a joint press question-and-answer program with the President of Palau and the prime ministers of Australia and Fiji. Nepal’s participation aims to raise awareness about climate change impacts, climate justice, and issues concerning mountain nations.
Following the events in Fiji and Tuvalu, Minister Khanal will travel to Australia for a bilateral meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on October 8, 2026. The meeting is expected to cover Nepal-Australia relations, bilateral cooperation, and various matters of mutual interest. During his visit to Australia, Minister Khanal will also engage with the Nepali community through programs organised by the Nepali Embassy in Canberra and the Nepali diaspora in Sydney. Minister Khanal is scheduled to return to Nepal on October 12, 2026.
The 81st United Nations General Assembly began on September 8, 2026, with its high-level ‘general debate’ running from September 22 to 28, 2026. Foreign Minister Khanal had departed for the UNGA on September 20, 2026, and returned on September 30, 2026.
The detailed list of other high-ranking officials and counterparts Foreign Minister Khanal met at the UNGA is not available. Specific details of Prime Minister Balen Shah’s other meetings and discussions, and the detailed information on three significant bilateral MoUs signed, are also not available. The specific agenda and expected outcomes for Nepal at the Pre-COP Leaders Event are not yet fully detailed.
