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Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of Nepal spoke at the World Leaders Forum on Monday in a talk titled “Nepal’s Journey to Democracy and Economic Prosperity.”

Jenik Radon, adjunct professor at the School of International and Public Affairs and drafter of the interim constitution of Nepal during the constitutional peace process, moderated the event, which was co-sponsored by the South Asia Institute.

University Provost Angelina Olinto introduced Oli at the start of the event and spoke about Oli’s role in Nepal’s political transformation.

“This includes the active role the Prime Minister has played as a political activist, a youth party leader, a parliamentarian, and a prime minister in this national transformation,” Olinto said.

Oli opened the event with a 12-minute speech discussing Nepal’s political and economic history as well as its goals for the future. He began by thanking Olinto and Columbia’s board of trustees.

“In our Nepali culture, we regard places of learning as temples of wisdom and when I am standing here, I feel as though I am standing in one of the greatest temples of all,” Oli said.

He touched on key milestones in Nepali history, noting that “the road to modernity and democracy was not a straight path.”

Oli spoke about the modern history of Nepal beginning in 1768 before talking about the 2015 constitution, which “enables us to focus on the next stage of our journey—the pursuit of economic prosperity.”

He described his “life-long struggle to freedom” as having centered on comprehensive democracy, which he defined as “an environment that guarantees equal rights, equal access to opportunities, social justice, and security as well as dignity for all.”

Oli answered questions from Radon and audience members for around 40 minutes and spoke on a variety of topics including climate change and Nepal’s relationship with India and China.

Radon asked two questions about swaths of Nepal’s youth leaving for employment and education opportunities abroad. Roughly one million people leave Nepal every year and 100,000 students study abroad, Radon said.

“The challenge is their education and development,” Radon said. “What steps will you be taking in the near future to make it a home for the million who are leaving as well as the hundred thousand who have left to get education elsewhere?”

Oli said that youth “flying away from the country” is an issue and that the trend is related to education, job opportunities, and economic development of the country, but he added that many who leave eventually return.

“People talk about the rush in the output, youths are going outside, outside, outside,” Oli said. “But they don’t take any account of the people coming back too.”

Radon then asked about climate change, to which Oli responded that the country is aware of the issue and pointed out the fact that Nepal has battled climate change by maintaining the natural form of the land.

Following Radon’s questions, students asked Oli about Nepal’s relationship to its neighbors, and one student asked about Nepal’s abstention on the U.N. resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian territories.

On the topic of the UN resolution, Oli did not directly respond concerning Nepal’s decision, but said that they “are always in favor of peace,” saying that Nepal is the “birthplace of Lord Buddha and the mountain of Buddhism.”

Referring to Nepal’s relationship with India and China, Oli said that they are between “two giant neighbors” with whom they have a friendship that is “undestroyable” and “lasting.”

Vehicular movement along the Kanti Highway has been obstructed following a landslide triggered by incessant rainfall last night.

The landslide occurred at Ghattepakha of Bakaiya Rural Municipality-12 of Makawanpur, according to the District Police Office, Makwanpur.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to remove the landslide debris and bring the highway back into operation in coordination with the Department of Roads, police said.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is in New York to attend the 79th UN General Assembly, attended a reception hosted by US President Joe Biden.

Prime Minister Oli joined the Heads of State and Government of different countries participating in the UNGA at the reception held at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York.

Alice Albright, the CEO of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

During the meeting with Prime Minister Oli, who is in New York attending the 79th UN General Assembly, various matters of bilateral interests between Nepal and the US, and MCC projects in Nepal were discussed.

"We look forward to early completion of the project for high quality connectivity through transmission lines and highways," the PM has posted on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account following the meeting.

Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, among others were also present during the meeting.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has called for adoption of an integrated approach, a ‘Mountain to Sea’ initiative in our climate actions, recognizing the inherent connections between this ecosystem.

"Their coverage should span from Everest to the Indian Ocean, from the Pamirs to the Pacific, and from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean, recognizing environmental and ecological inter-linkages."

In his statement at the High-Level Plenary Meeting of the 79th UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the theme "Addressing the Threats Posed by Sea Level Rise" earlier today, Prime Minister Oli said we must take bold, decisive actions to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C. "This is not just a number—it is the threshold for survival."

Even 1.5°C is too hot for the Himalayas, as ICIMOD states, because the elevation-dependent warming will amplify its impacts equal to a 2 degree-increase. The Himalayas and other high mountains are natural refrigerators and recharge systems, cooling all the air blowing through them and recharging the river systems downstream.

Calling for collective global effort to tackle rising sea levels, to build resilience in our nations, and to adapt to the changes, he said hand-in-hand, we must control release of pollutants that generate acidic clouds and other effects as the pristine glaciers are turning into the depository of various contaminants.  "Most importantly, we must deliver climate justice. Wealthy nations must lead from the front to support vulnerable countries."

Prime Minister Oli also called upon the UN General Assembly to convene a high-level meeting next year, dedicated to addressing the existential threats posed by climate change to both mountain nations and island states.

As global warming threatens the ecosystem between mountains and seas, mountain nations like Nepal and the coastal nations including the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) will turn into its conjoined victims, he said, "For the SIDS and other coastal nations there is a direct threat to their existence as by 2100 the coastal regions are likely to submerge with nearly two and a half meters in seawater." 

Representing the nation of Mt. Everest and the mighty Himalayas, also known as the ‘Third Pole’, I propose to start our deliberations keeping in mind a long connecting chain—the melting of ice and glaciers in mountains and polar regions that ultimately results in sea level rise (SLR).

"Our actions to prevent the SLR are integral to what we do to stop alarming loss of ice and snow from the mountains, to stop avalanches and glacial lake outbursts", he added.

A set of dry but dreadful figures illustrate the ecosystem from mountain to sea, which includes the contribution of glacier melt to the sea level rise, the amount of ice Nepal lost in just over three decades and the estimated loss of the Himalayan glaciers by 2100 A. D. under the current level of emissions.

For the billions dependent on snow-and ice-fed rivers, this will mean the drying of their lifeblood, and ultimately decimation of river-based civilizations, Oli said, "Because when two-thirds of the Himalayan glaciers are gone, Asia’s at least 10 river systems will also dry."

During his statement, Prime Minister Oli also urged to stop reckless burning of fossil fuel in the name of development to save our planet for future generations to come.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the disparity in health services between developed and underdeveloped countries should be ended.

As a result of this disparity, it has been challenging for underdeveloped countries to provide equal health services for all.

Addressing a program organized by Mount Sinai Hospital and AMPATH Nepal in New York today, Prime Minister Oli, who is in New York to attend the 79th UN General Assembly, said that despite the vast improvements in science and technology underdeveloped countries are facing challenges in the field of health infrastructure. "There is disparity in health care and infrastructure between rich and poor countries. Due to financial constraints, the people of poor countries are not able to get easy and quality healthcare services", he said,

The Government of Nepal is working with the goal of providing basic healthcare services to all by according top priority to the health sector. We look forward to international cooperation and partnership towards this end.

Prime Minister Oli said that the Healthy Nepal campaign has been conducted to prevent people from falling sick rather than treating them after they fall ill, and said that the campaign is part of the national aspiration of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali'.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli also pointed out to the fact that before the development of modern medicine in the world the ancestors of Nepal developed traditional and Ayurvedic treatment methods, which are still in use today.

Nepal has made significant improvements in the health sector including bringing down the maternal and child mortality rate but due to inadequacy of resources the health infrastructure has not been developed as much as expected. "Despite gradual improvement in Nepal's health sector with the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, the partnership of the international community is necessary for modern and infrastructure-equipped health services", he said, "I would like to thank Mount Sinai Hospital for its collaboration with Kathmandu University and Dhulikhel Hospital in training, research and resource mobilization to support Nepal's health sector,” Oli said.

Also speaking at the program, Research Director of Dhulikhel Hospital, Dr Rajeev Shrestha, shared with more than 70 percent of deaths in Nepal caused by non-communicable diseases, AMPATH is working to enhance specialist services in the treatment of diseases related to heart, kidney and of cancer.

The AMPATH Consortium is a network of academic health centers that aims to foster long-term, equitable and cross-cultural partnerships with host health centers and universities that serve populations with significant unmet needs. Each institution brings their own perspective and provides its own opportunities for medical trainee exchange programs and hands-on education, in the U.S., Canada and across the globe, according to AMPATH Nepal website.

Police have arrested three persons on the charge of looting two foreign nationals in Banepa of Kavrepalanchowk district.

The arrestees have been identified as Hari Chaudhary (20) of Nawalparasi, Sandesh Jairu (17) of Sunapati Rural Municipality in Ramechhap district and Ujjwal Dahal (16) of Kavrepalanchowk district, said Spokesperson of Nepal Police, Dan Bahadur Karki.

They are accused of stealing the belongings of Italian citizen Martin (28) and German national Alexandra (26), added Spokesperson and AIG Karki.

The two foreign nationals were in Nepal for internship at the Dhulikhel Hospital in Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchowk.

Police nabbed the accused ones on Tuesday night after they allegedly robbed the victims' mobile phones and ATM cards.

The trio is accused of threatening the foreign nationals with a knife on the way to the View Tower of Banepa.

Further investigation into the case is underway, informed Karki.

Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to sell international flight tickets from the cities outside Kathmandu - Biratnagar, Pokhara and Nepalgunj.

The Corporation has arranged ticket sales from those cities for the convenience of the passengers in the wake of major festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath.

Earlier, the NAC was selling tickets for international flights only from the corporation's office at Bhairahawa outside Kathmandu.

According to the Corporation's spokesperson, Ramesh Paudel, arrangements would be made to distribute tickets from Biratnagar, Pokhara and Nepalgunj offices even after the festivals.

Executive Chairman of the Corporation, Yuvraj Adhikari, has given instructions to the relevant department heads for the management of ticket sales. It was also informed that the NAC also managed online ticketing service.