Foreign Minister stresses regional cooperation for biodiversity conservation

Kathmandu, Sept. 11

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal stressed the need to strengthen regional cooperation for wildlife and biodiversity conservation in South Asia.

Addressing a reception of the first General Assembly of the South Asia Wildlife Crime Control Network (SAWCCN) held in Kathmandu on Friday, he said effective coordination and information sharing among relevant agencies of member countries were necessary to combat cross-border wildlife crime.

"Illegal wildlife trade had emerged as a growing challenge to international security. Effective coordination among wildlife conservation agencies, customs authorities, police, investigators and judicial institutions is necessary to control it," said FM Khanal.

According to him, the Network demonstrates the capacity to unite under South Asia’s shared moral responsibility and protect common natural heritage here.

Noting that South Asian countries are interconnected by geography, ecology and history, he said mountain ranges, river systems, forests, wetlands and wildlife that move across borders constitute shared natural heritage. He said collective and coordinated efforts were necessary to protect these resources.

Likewise, FM Khanal also stated that Nepal had consistently prioritised regional cooperation and that multilateral partnerships based on practical cooperation, mutual trust and tangible results for people would remain effective in the long term.

“Nepal is proud to host the secretariat of the South Asia Wildlife Crime Control Network in Kathmandu,” he said. “We view this not merely as an administrative responsibility but as a long-term commitment to strengthening an institution jointly owned by all member states.”

The Minister said that political commitment, strong legal frameworks, effective enforcement and active community participation were necessary for wildlife and biodiversity conservation. He also stressed that conservation achievements made at the national level should be reinforced through cross-border cooperation.

FM Khanal said biodiversity conservation, environmental integrity and the control of organised crime were increasingly linked to modern diplomacy. Protecting natural resources, he said, was an important foundation for building a secure, prosperous and environmentally resilient South Asia. He also pledged continued support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Nepal as an active partner in these efforts.

Paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the recent Bhotekoshi disaster, Khanal said its severity was far beyond that of an ordinary flood and described it as a “Himalayan tsunami”. He expressed condolences to the bereaved families and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

He also thanked friendly countries and partners for expressing solidarity with Nepal during the disaster.

Khanal said the first General Assembly of the network had opened a new chapter in its institutional development and expressed confidence that it would further strengthen friendship, trust and partnership among member states.

Published in The Rising Nepal on 12 September 2026.