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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.”

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.