Geneva visit is fruitful: FM Rana

Kathmandu, Feb. 28

Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has described her week-long visit to Geneva as successful and fruitful.

Sharing her reflections upon her arrival from the 58^th High-Level Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, she said that she had requested the international community to vote for Nepal’s candidacy for the Human Rights Council and received assurances of support.

During her visit, FM Dr. Rana addressed the High-Level Session of the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday. The session was attended by foreign and human rights ministers from member states, as well as individuals working in the field of human rights.

Upon her return, FM Dr. Rana highlighted Nepal’s long-standing commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and informed the global community about Nepal’s candidacy for membership in the Human Rights Council for the term 2027-2029.

She urged all UN member states to support Nepal’s bid, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed in a statement on Friday.

Nepal has also announced its candidacy for membership in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the term 2029-2031 and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2037-2038. Minister Dr. Rana called on all UN member states to support Nepal’s candidacies for these positions as well.

She shared that during her visit, she also held discussions with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, and briefed him on the status of human rights and transitional justice in Nepal.

Likewise, she held bilateral meetings with counterparts, delegations, and leaders from countries including Switzerland, Norway, Spain, Slovakia, the Philippines, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mexico, and discussed matters of mutual interest and concern.

She also attended a welcome reception hosted by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN in Geneva, where she engaged with heads of missions and representatives from over 100 countries, as well as officials from various international organisations, seeking their support for Nepal’s candidacy.

FM Dr. Rana led a six-member Nepali delegation to Geneva, departing last Saturday. The delegation was scheduled to return to Kathmandu at 10:30 am on Friday, but due to adverse weather conditions, their Qatar Airways flight from Doha was diverted to Kolkata, India. They eventually returned to Kathmandu in the afternoon, informed the MoFA.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 March 2025.