Kathmandu, Dec 1: Prime Minister
KP Sharma Oli Saturday said Nepal, a perfect blend of nature and culture, was not
only an attractive destination for tourists around the world, but also a place
of ancient wisdom to overcome the challenges of humanity.
Addressing an eminent gathering
of political leaders and personalities from the Asia-Pacific region, Prime
Minister Oli highlighted the critical and sensitive issues facing the world
today.
In his inaugural speech at the
Asia-Pacific Summit in Kathmandu, Prime Minister Oli said science and
technology had empowered human beings, treating or eradicating diseases of many
kinds, and helping them live better, healthier and longer lives.
Yet, festering problems still
continued “to bedevil us, and warrant our urgent attention,” he said. “Poverty,
illiteracy and many infectious diseases may have subsided, but they continue to
beset and beleaguer the lives of millions of people across the world.”
Prime Minister Oli elaborated on
the critical challenges in the way to attaining a world of interdependence,
mutual prosperity and universal values.
“The world continues to reel from
the adverse impacts of climate change, natural and man-made disasters, and
terrorism,” he said.
Climate change had upset the
organic linkages between the mountains and seas, Oli said.
“The melting of glaciers leads to
the rise in sea level. The natural recharge system, which is critical to
maintain temperature and humidify the land, has been increasingly affected by
climate change due to irresponsible human activities. The contamination of the
sources of water downstream leads to pollution with negative consequences on
the bio-geo chemical cycle which, in turn, disturbs the mountain ecosystem as
well.”
The irony is that the severest
burden was felt by those who did not commit any fault, he said. “This is
unacceptable. So, we very much emphasize the need for effective implementation
of climate justice principle.”
He expressed the belief that the
way forward should consist of three major approaches: the promotion of peace
and interdependence among nations by strengthening and upholding
multilateralism; the pursuit of mutual prosperity by both developing and
developed countries by protecting natural ecosystems and habitat; and the
inculcation of universal values among the peoples of the world.
Taking pride in the Himalayan
culture, tradition and heritage, Prime Minister Oli said, Nepal had much to
offer in developing a universal system of values such that all nations and
peoples can create a harmonious world and live together in peace, amity and
friendship.
“Our motherland, Nepal, and
Himvatkhanda, the Himalayan region that we belong to, is an ancient
fountainhead of wisdom and practical knowledge, where the profound
contemplations were first made of the entire Universe being a shared space for
all sentient beings,” he said.
“The poverty of material goods
that some parts of our society are still faced with does not mean that we are
morally submissive or that we are eager to imitate the culture and values of
others,” he said.
“For ensuring mutual prosperity,
we need to forge active partnerships between governments, the private sector
and diverse social groups.”
He said, “When we think about
partnership among nations we must not forget that equity, justice and shared
benefit should be the outcome of such a partnership based on the principles of
sovereign equality, mutual respect and benefit.”
He said Nepal was the land of Buddha,
the beacon of peace, wisdom and moderation, and of a humanist and universal
philosophy which extols the virtue of seeing the other in one's own self, and
which calls for peace and harmony in the entire universe.
“We are the proud inheritors of
one of the most ancient civilizations on earth, which has given the world art,
literature, science, innovation and, most importantly, the ideals of peace and
political philosophies. The light of knowledge was first lit in the
Asia-Pacific region.”
Prime Minister Oli also spoke
briefly about the political achievements and the road ahead.
“Recent political transformation
in Nepal has been a monumental achievement in our history. Equally successful
has been our unique peace process, launched in 2006. It was a process invented,
led, owned, managed and steered by ourselves.”
Oli said his government had adopted
the agenda for socio-economic transformation, guided by the motto “Prosperous
Nepal, Happy Nepali”.
Published in The Rising Nepal Daily on 2 December 2018. 
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