Kathmandu, Dec. 7
Foreign Minister of Nepal, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba,
said that the recent Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) agreement between Nepal and
China does not involve the issue of Nepal taking loans.
“We have signed a cooperation-based
agreement under the BRI, and it doesn't taking loans,” she said while speaking
with the journalists at the Tribhuvan International Airport before departing
for the Netherlands to represent Nepal at the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) hearing on climate change.
FM Dr. Rana expressed concern about
misconceptions surrounding the agreement in Nepal, attributing them to a lack
of understanding. She explained that the projects under the BRI framework will
proceed only with mutual consent between Nepal and China, as explicitly mentioned
in the agreement.
Addressing the criticisms, she said, “The
decision to take loans is entirely based on the recipient's consent and
request. If we say we don’t need loans, how can the lender force us? To suggest
that the government has signed an agreement to take loans is childish.”
She said that Nepal’s agreement with China
under the BRI focuses on grant-funded projects. She added that the agreement
falls under China’s Global Development Initiative and is unrelated to security
or other contentious issues.
According to FM Dr. Rana, during her discussions
with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, she had made it clear that Nepal is not
in a position to take loans. Both parties agreed to develop a cooperation
framework under the BRI, which was finalised and signed after extensive
efforts.
"Nepal has prioritised trade,
aviation, and land connectivity with China under the BRI framework, along with
infrastructure development and economic assistance," said FM Dr. Rana.
Dr. Rana is leading a Nepali delegation to
the ICJ to advocate for climate justice. For the first time, Nepal will present
its position on the impacts of climate change and its demand for compensation
from developed countries responsible for high carbon emissions.
Dr. Rana will address the ICJ on December 9
where she will highlight severe consequences of climate change in Nepal, which
is among the most affected countries despite its minimal contribution to global
emissions.
Her delegation includes Secretary of the
Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Uday Raj Sapkota and
officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
No comments:
Post a Comment