Press Release

 

Today, Mani Prasad Bhattarai, Member of the delegation of Nepal, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made a statement on behalf of the Least Developed Countries at the Second Committee of the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly on agenda entitled Sustainable Development.  

Stating the problems faced by the least developed countries, Mr. Bhattarai said that food, fuel and financial crises had posed serious challenges in the LDCs in all three pillars of sustainable development, namely economic development, social development and environmental protection. He underscored the need for the further implementation of the agreed commitments made in the international conferences to help solve the problems of the LDCs. In view of the special needs of the LDCs, the developed countries must take concrete steps to increasing financial assistance, reducing and canceling debt, curbing trade protectionism, opening their markets, transferring technology and building capacity in these countries in order to concretize the agenda of sustainable development, he added. He also said that an increased international partnership for investment in sustainable and long-term agricultural development was a key to achieving food security and many of the internationally agreed developmental goals in the LDCs.

Mr Bhattarai also underscored the need to have a sustainable framework for addressing the adaptation and financial needs to cope with the negative impacts of climate change in the LDCs. He emphasized on the increased investment in the use of alternative, clean, green and renewable energy without compromising the development needs of the LDCs. He further added that the efforts to reduce social inequality should be strengthened at all levels in LDCs. He also underlined the strong need to introducing holistic and comprehensive, coherent and concerted approach to addressing the issues of the sustainable development, particularly in the least developed countries.  

Permanent Mission of Nepal

to the United Nations

New York

2 November 2009