PM returns home from Spain
Kathmandu, July 4
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has returned
to Nepal after leading the Nepali delegation at the fourth International
Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, held from
June 30 to July 4.
The Prime Minister had led a delegation to
Seville at the joint invitation of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Pérez
Castejón and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. The conference
aimed to bolster international cooperation for development and advocate for the
needs of least developed countries (LDCs).
Addressing the General Debate of the
conference on June 30, 2025, Prime Minister Oli, in his capacity as the Chair
of the Global Coordination Bureau of Least Developed Countries, highlighted the
significant challenges faced by LDCs. He urged developed nations and
development partners to enhance their support and expand partnerships to
address these issues.
Upon his arrival from Spain, the Prime
Minister expressed confidence that the 'Sevilla Commitment' would serve as a
milestone for the smooth and sustainable graduation and overall development and
prosperity of LDCs. He also called for greater commitment and effort from the
global community to implement this commitment.
During his address, Prime Minister Oli
stated that Nepal is on track to graduate from an LDC by 2026 and is actively
mobilising the necessary resources for this transition. He appealed to
development partners and donor agencies to provide further assistance to
Nepal's economic development.
PM Oli co-chaired a multi-stakeholder
roundtable on 'Revitalising international development cooperation' where he
emphasised the profound impact of poverty, inequality, debt burden, and climate
change on LDCs and other developing countries. He underscored the importance of
strengthening international development cooperation to tackle these challenges.
Prime Minister Oli also chaired a
High-Level Event on LDCs, where he highlighted that these nations grapple with
issues such as poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and trade deficits. He pointed
out that a significant portion of their budgets is allocated to debt servicing,
making it difficult to meet basic needs like education and healthcare for their
citizens.
In this context, he called for concrete
steps to implement the commitments made at the Financing for Development
conference and for practical action plans to reduce the financial gap.
Similarly, Prime Minister Oli addressed the
'Unlocking water and sanitation financing through heads of state initiative',
announcing Nepal's inclusion in this campaign related to water and sanitation.
He reiterated Nepal's government's commitment to providing citizens with
fundamental services, including access to clean drinking water and sanitation,
which are enshrined as fundamental rights in Nepal's constitution.
At an event hosted by Spanish Prime
Minister Pedro Sánchez, 'Investing in global solidarity: A new vision of development
cooperation', Prime Minister Oli underscored the increasing importance of
development partnerships for developing nations.
He stressed the need to increase
concessional resources for developing countries and adhere to principles
related to effective development cooperation to maximise outcomes from such
assistance.
On the eve of the conference, June 29,
Prime Minister Oli addressed the 'Civil society forum for FfD4', an event
organised by civil society on development finance. He said that civil society
is a crucial partner in achieving sustainable development goals and advocated
for empowering their role in policy formulation, monitoring, and accountability
systems.
On the sidelines of the conference, Prime
Minister Oli held bilateral meetings with several heads of state and
government. He met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to discuss various
matters of bilateral interest between Nepal and Spain. He also held discussions
with Estonian President Alar Karis, Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro,
and Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Kamal Madbouly on bilateral interests
and concerns.
During his meeting with the Egyptian Prime
Minister, Pm Oli appreciated Egypt for its ongoing cooperation in securing the
release of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali citizen held captive by HAMAS, and requested
continued efforts.
Prime Minister Oli also met with United
Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Their discussions focused on
strengthening the relationship between Nepal and the UN, reinforcing
multilateralism, and ensuring a sustainable transition for Nepal's graduation
from an LDC. Guterres commended Nepal's contributions to UN peacekeeping.
At an interaction organised by the Nepali
Embassy in Madrid with the Spanish business community, Prime Minister Oli
invited investment in sectors such as hydropower, tourism, infrastructure,
agriculture, and information technology. He also participated in an interaction
with the Nepali diaspora in Spain, and discussed their potential role in
Nepal's development and instructed the Nepali Embassy to undertake more
effective and public-oriented initiatives to ensure the welfare and security of
Nepalis residing there.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) maintained
that the Prime Minister's active participation elevated Nepal's image on the
international stage. His discussions with the Spanish business community and
Nepali diaspora are expected to promote investment in Nepal.
PM Oli's delegation included his spouse Radhika
Shakya, his chief advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, and other senior government
officials.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 5 July 2025.
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