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It’s fantastic to have you all here—because we have so much to celebrate together. In December we marked the centenary of the UK-Nepal Treaty of Friendship signed in the Singha Durbar in 1923 pledging that our two nations will forever maintain peace, friendship and mutual respect. It helped establish Nepal’s sovereignty. 

The Treaty confirmed the UK’s proud status as Nepal’s oldest friend. There have been many events to mark the centenary over recent months. That’s a lot of daal bhaat, a lot of chiya, and maybe a bit of Raksi too! I’m delighted that we are hosting the culmination of these celebrations here this evening.

There is so much that brings us together. From His Majesty King Charles trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas as a young Prince, to our academic alliances, to the huge contribution that the Nepali diaspora makes here in the UK, even getting to the finals of Masterchef!

We’re partners in fighting climate change, in supporting Nepal’s development, with the £400m of support which helps Nepal capitalize on its strengths, including its people and its potential for clean energy and to overcome challenges posed by disasters, and through our growing business links as well.

At the Nepal Investment Summit last month, I was proud that the UK played a leading role in creating a more conductive enabling environment for foreign investment into Nepal which extended the bridge we are building between Nepal and global capital markets. 

And of course, I want to pay tribute to surely the greatest symbol of our friendship, proof that this bond is truly unique and that is the Gurkhas. I had the pleasure of addressing a Gurkha passing out parade at Catterick in my constituency, back in 2021, paying tribute to their courage, loyalty, and sacrifice. Their service is a reminder of the deep ties between our two nations and a promise that those ties will continue to endure.

We have come a long way together since 1923. So, let’s keep building all aspects of this remarkable friendship. And here’s to another one hundred years!

Speech delivered by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a reception hosted at Number 10 Downing Street on 20 May to celebrate 100 years of the UK-Nepal Treaty of Friendship

Chairman of Kantipur Media Group Kailash Sirohiya on Tuesday said Kantipur Media Group will never compromise on its editorial independence and responsibilities.

On Tuesday, Dhanusha District Court issued an arrest warrant against Sirohiya over a ‘citizenship-related issue’.

In a statement, Sirohiya said the arrest warrant was issued with the intent of blackmailing Kantipur into not publishing more reports on the issue of cooperative frauds.

“It is the media’s responsibility to raise voice and demand justice and fair investigation into all those involved in the embezzlement of the hard-earned savings of more than 7.1 million depositors in various cooperatives,” said Sirohiya. “There is no doubt that the filing of the complaint and the issuance of the arrest warrant against me without any interrogation has been done to blackmail Kantipur into not publishing more reports on the issue and to divert attention.”

Sirohiya asserted that Kantipur will not back down even an inch from raising its voice against the wrongdoings in the society, including on the cooperatives scam.

“The office bearers who abuse their authority and misuse police administration to exact vengeance against the chairman of a media house based on the news they publish should also answer when there will be an investigation into the individual who came to power through political bargaining that entailed getting the Attorney General to certify that he would not be prosecuted for holding dual passports,” he said.

Sirohiya said he is ready to cooperate in every investigation conducted as per the law.

Police have arrested Kantipur Media Group Chairman and Managing Director Kailash Sirohiya on Tuesday.

A joint police team led by SSP Sanu Ram Bhattarai and SP Rabindra Regmi apprehended Sirohiya from his Thapathali-based office this afternoon.

Earlier, ​​​​​​the Dhanusha District Court had issued an arrest warrant for submitting two citizenships at different institutions.

A complaint was filed at the District Police Office, Dhanusha stating that he has been holding dual citizenship.

Prior to his arrest, Sirohiya issued a statement on Kantipur TV, saying that he was arrested without inquiring about the complaint lodged at the District Police Office, Dhanusha.

Further more, Chairman Sirohiya claimed that he was held for publishing a series of news reports about Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane embezzling millions of rupees from a Pokhara-based cooperative with evidence.

Speaking at the Parliament meeting on Sunday, Home Minister Lamichhane had said that the parliamentary probe committee would not be formed on the basis of news published in the newspaper.

On the eve of the International Expert Dialogue on Mountains, People, and Climate Change, the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE) held a consultation meeting with a media group to provide updates about the event. Nepal will host the event on May 22 and 23 in Chandragiri, Kathmandu, aiming to bring international attention to this critical issue under its leadership.

The two-day event will feature experts from 25 countries, focusing on enhancing coordination and prioritizing mountain-centric initiatives within the broader climate change agenda.

The dialogue aims to foster collaboration among mountainous countries and stakeholders involved in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) programs. It also seeks to develop concrete roadmaps and strategies for mountain regions in preparation for the 60th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and beyond. The SBSTA meeting, scheduled for June, will include an expert dialogue on mountains, humans, and climate change.

The event will bring together over 200 representatives from mountainous countries, island nations, international organizations, development partners, NGOs, the private sector, and civil society groups. The chairpersons of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and SBSTA, as well as representatives from the UNFCCC Secretariat, UN agencies, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank will also attend the discussions. 

The dialogue aims to facilitate collective insights and conclusions, which will be incorporated into the SBSTA expert dialogue, including Nepal’s initiative on Sagarmatha Sambad.

Maheshwar Dhakal, joint secretary at MoFE, told the media that the objective of this dialogue is to prioritize and strengthen efforts related to mountain ecosystem-based climate resilience in a coordinated manner. He emphasized that the dialogue aims to enhance the negotiating capacity of mountainous countries on climate change issues and to pressure the international community to mobilize necessary resources for climate adaptation and mitigation.

“The frequency of climate change incidents is increasing day by day, particularly in mountainous and hilly regions. Therefore, this dialogue will also be instrumental in raising a stronger institutional voice,” he said.

Buddi Sagar Poudel, joint secretary and chief of the Climate Change Management Division at MoFE, said the event will enhance the understanding of climate change impacts in the Himalayan region and their solutions. 

“Our conclusion is that this Dialogue will integrate expertise and experiences on the topic and develop a mountain climate resilience strategy along with a common resolve,” he told ApEx.

He added that Nepal is committed to including the mountain agenda in every aspect of the SBSTA dialogue to increase visibility for its climate initiatives. “In areas such as loss and damage, climate justice, climate finance, and climate technology, we will incorporate the mountain agenda,” he added.

Mountains are invaluable natural assets, supporting 25 percent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and encompassing nearly half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. However, mountain glaciers are rapidly melting due to rising temperatures associated with climate change. This melting contributes to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and sea-level rise, and threatens freshwater supplies for millions who depend on glacier-fed rivers. With gradual changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, extreme and slow-onset climate-related hazards such as GLOFs, landslides, and flash floods are increasing. Approximately 40 percent of the world’s population indirectly relies on mountain resources for drinking water, agriculture, biodiversity, and hydroelectricity.

Govinda Prasad Sharma, Secretary at MoFE says the presence of the SBSTA chair in the dialogue shows the commitment of mountain issues at the global climate negotiations.

Despite their significance and the threats they face, mountains still do not receive adequate attention and recognition in global forums. The global community has severely neglected the value of the vital ecosystem services provided by mountains. It is now critical to prioritize mountain areas in all global action plans. A unified mountain voice is urgently needed to address the growing concerns about the effects of climate change on mountain communities and the essential ecosystem services they provide.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to inaugurate the dialogue, which will feature opening and closing plenary sessions, along with thematic discussions focused on three main areas. These will include 10 sessions. First, climate science and mountain evidence, second, mountain solutions: common grounds and common understanding, third, mountain prospective: resources and opportunities. Each session will have the keynote speaker, presentation and the panel discussion and over 50+ global speakers will be making the deliberation.

The themes will examine the evidence of climate change impacts, vulnerabilities, and risks in mountainous regions, as well as emerging threats and the need for action both within and beyond mountain environments. It will also explore community-driven adaptation, sustainable policy frameworks, and the importance of climate justice and local perspectives. Also, it will highlight the potential for economic growth in mountain regions through transitions to cleaner energy sources, the mobilization of climate finance, and the promotion of global cooperation and regional partnerships.

The event also aims to minimize the loss caused by climate change in mountain communities’ lives and livelihoods by promoting adaptation measures, clean energy, innovation, and research. It will emphasize capacity enhancement for mountain communities and the promotion of multi-party cooperation and partnership on climate change finance.

Mountain regions support over 15 percent of the world’s population by providing essential resources such as food, shelter, and clothing, and serve as habitats for over 15 percent of wildlife, including various plant species. However, mountain countries have not reaped the expected benefits because they either have not effectively raised their issues and concerns in international forums or have not received adequate international recognition.

As a mountainous nation, Nepal has long advocated in international forums about the impacts of climate change on the Himalayas. Due to these efforts, the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP28) last year included, for the first time, the impact of climate change on the Himalayas in its decision-making and has since emphasized effective measures to mitigate this impact. It was a crucial milestone in recognizing the impacts of climate change on mountainous regions worldwide and laying the groundwork for further action.

Ever since the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Conference (COP15), the impact of climate change on the Himalayan ecosystem has increasingly drawn global attention. Despite Nepal’s persistent efforts to prioritize this issue in subsequent conferences, relatively little progress has been achieved.

The government have been highlighting the impacts of climate change on the mountains and their communities through various initiatives, including cabinet meetings in Kalapathar in 2009, the 10-point Everest Declaration, calls for an alliance of mountain countries in 2009, the Mountain Initiative, the Mountain Advocacy Summit in 2022, as well as numerous conferences, policy dialogues, and declarations focused on mountain actions.

Ahead of and during the COP 28 in Dubai, high-level government officials, including Prime Minister Dahal, emphasized that developed countries' pledges and actions do not align and called for them to raise their ambitions and urgently fulfill their commitments. They urged developed countries to increase climate finance to address the $100bn shortfall, double adaptation finance by 2025, and ensure fair financial arrangements without conditions, constraints, and compliances.

As the chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) group, Nepal also demanded that the loss and damage fund be predictable, simplified, and adequate for LDCs and mountainous countries. One of the major achievements of the Dubai climate summit was the launch of the loss and damage fund, which aims to provide crucial support to vulnerable nations facing the brunt of climate-related challenges.