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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that he raised voices for the interest of the developing countries in the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in Kampala of Uganda.

At a news conference organized at Tribhuvan International Airport upon returning home after attending the 19th Summit of the NAM today, the PM said he firmly raised the issues of economic development and prosperity that the developing countries should get.

"Achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) is unlikely to be achieved. Nepal despite its efforts to graduate from a Least Developed Country has plunged into different multidimensional challenges," the PM added.

On the occasion, the PM said that he firmly highlighted the issues of economic development and prosperity that the developing countries should achieve by achieving the internationally agreed goals including the SDGs, Paris Agreement and other others.

The PM stated that while addressing the concluding program of the 19th NAM Summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutterres had said the NAM countries have made a big contribution to making the world system judicious, inclusive and equitable, and its relevance has increased more in the present global context.

On the occasion, the President of Uganda called on NAM countries to come together and work for resolving our common problems, PM Dahal added.

In his address to the 19th NAM Summit, he urged the NAM members to reaffirm commitment to the values and principles of non-alignment and avoid any double standards amongst the selves, calling them to work together with utmost sincerity, harmony, solidarity, and cooperation for our shared affluence.

"Let us reinvigorate NAM to make it a force to be reckoned with to build a just, equitable, peaceful, sustainable, and prosperous world leaving no one behind," he had reiterated.

"In conclusion, I would like to thank Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of Uganda, for successfully organizing the 19th Summit of the NAM which has the most countries as its members after the United Nations and which remains as the alternative forum of self-dignity, independence, autonomy and solidarity of the Global South since long, and to Azerbaijan for providing leadership to the Movement since the last three years as its Chair," Prime Minister Dahal said.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed the belief that the remaining works of the peace process would be completed on the basis of consensus.

Addressing a special news conference organized at Tribhuvan International Airport upon returning home after attending the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) today, he reiterated that the bill on Truth and Reconciliation Commission would be taken to its logical conclusion.

The PM stated that discussions are on with all sides and the remaining works of the peace process would be concluded through consensus immediately after the commencement of the upcoming session of the Federal Parliament.

"We have made preparations on the Truth and Reconciliation Bill after holding discussions with all. It has landed in the parliamentary committee after finalization from the sub-committee. It will be taken to the full house once the parliament session opens and concluded with priority," he said. Prime Minister Dahal said he is working to have the bill decided through consensus.

The Prime Minister said the government's works have been expedited and the ministers also have been directed to carry out works accordingly. "Ministers would be made to work providing them with a target and we will take decisions accordingly if the responsibilities are not carried out in the right manner," he added.

According to the PM, although Nepal's bureaucracy is not weak in terms of efficiency and experience, there is some lacking when it comes to promptness, seriousness and courage to take initiation. He shared that he has been regularly holding discussions with the Chief Secretary, secretaries and the bureaucracy.

Govt serious on recruitment of Nepali youths in Russian military force

Asked about the woes Nepali youths have been facing after their recruitment in the Russian Army, the PM said he was serious and sensitive to that issue.

"The government is very much serious and sensitive towards the reports that Nepali youths are recruited in the Russian force and mobilized in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. We don’t have such a policy on behalf of the government," PM Dahal added.

The PM stated that the government has no policy to allow Nepalis for their recruitment in the military force in any other countries except the past agreements made for India and England. 

He also shared that a diplomatic note has been sent to Russia on this issue and the Foreign Minister has repeatedly talked about this agenda.  

The PM added that Nepal's Foreign Minister held talks with the Russian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs at Kampala of Uganda during the 19th NAM Summit and was urged to send Nepali youths back home.

He said that talks were held regarding the youths killed in the war and the government has seriously taken the issue of compensation for them.

"Everyone should disseminate awareness among people. We should spread awareness stating that youth should not join the military service anywhere in the name of seeking jobs against the state's policy, the spirit of the Constitution and against the spirit of our democratic national independence. We should be more aware of people saying this is not the way to leave the country by avoiding formal ways. The government is serious. All should work on it (to stop)," the PM argued.

Likewise, the PM said that Nepal has taken Taiwan as an integral part of China since the beginning. "We are not in favor of the policy of separation of Taiwan after accepting One-China Principle," PM Dahal asserted.

Taiwan is China's part and Nepal has stuck to this policy since the beginning, according to the PM.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal returned home after attending the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in Uganda.

The inbound and outbound flights were barred  for half-an-hour at the Tribhuvan International Airport for the Prime Minister during the time when he arrived in Kathmandu from Qatar Airways.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Speaker and ministers had reached the airport to welcome him.

Leading a Nepali delegation, Prime Minister Dahal had left for Uganda via Qatar Airlines at 2: 15 am on Thursday.

He was accompanied by his daughter Ganga Dahal, Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and senior officials of Nepal government.

During the summit, the Prime Minister addressed the plenary session of the Summit on the theme ‘Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence’ on January 19.

During his stay in Uganda, he also held a meeting with Nepali diaspora community.

Kathmandu: Nepal has requested Russia not to recruit Nepali youths in the Russian Army.

Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud made this request in the meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Vershinin, on the margins of the 19th NAM Summit that took place in Uganda.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says: "Foreign minister raised the issues related to Nepali nationals in the Russian Army, including the request not to recruit Nepali nationals, release those who are already recruited, repatriation of mortal remains of the deceased and compensation.”

The Russian deputy minister stated that efforts will be made to resolve the issues raised by the Nepali side.  There are no bilateral provisions on recruitment in the Russian forces, but reports suggest that Nepalis are serving alongside the Russians and fighters from several other countries lured by certain ‘incentives’.

Moscow has not responded to Nepal’s repeated requests for information about the Nepalis in the Russian army, though the government has said that hundreds of Nepalis have been serving the Russians, more than 100 have gone missing and 11 Nepalis have died in the war so far.

According to Saud, 115 families of Nepali youths, who have joined the Russian army, have submitted a request to the ministry calling for their early repatriation. We have asked Russia to repatriate the Nepalis serving its army and compensate the families of those killed in action, he said.