Press Release Issued by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN, New York On 7th Youth Forum

Press Release

Hon. Mr. Rajendra Kumar KC, Minister for Youth and Sports, participated in the ministerial roundtable of the 7th Economic and Social Council Youth Forum entitled “Means of Implementation and Financing Youth Development” in New York today. Responding to a question about the Government of Nepal’s approach to creating more off-farm jobs in the context of the large number of youths seeking jobs abroad, which was asked by the moderator of the roundtable, the Hon. Minister said that the new federal governance system recently set up in Nepal has created conducive environment for creating more employment opportunities for youth in the country. While highlighting the government’s major policy initiatives to contribute to the economic growth and sustainable development, he also highlighted the positive contribution of Country’s Poverty Alleviation Fund, Youth and Small Entrepreneurs Self-employment Fund and Remote Area Employment Programme, among others.

The Hon. Minister for Youth and Sports also attended the opening session of 2018 Youth Forum organized under the theme, “The role of youth in building sustainable and resilient urban and rural communities” yesterday. The session featured the opening remarks by H.E. Mrs. Marie Chatardova, President of ECOSOC and H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the General Assembly and Ms. Jayathman Wickramanayake, Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, among others. In the interactive roundtable that followed, various participants highlighted the contribution of young people in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

In addition to two ministerial roundtables, the Youth Forum this year included six breakout sessions on SDGs and six additional sessions on various regions.

On the sideline of the Youth Forum, Hon. KC held a meeting with the Minister of State for Youth and Sports of Bangladesh, Dr. Shri Biren Sikder, MP. The two sides shared their governments’ views and initiatives in fully harnessing the potentials of youth in sustainable development. They also explored the possibility of youth exchange between the two countries.

The Hon. Minister for Youth and Sports arrived in New York on 29 January 2018 leading a Nepali delegation to the Forum comprising Mr. Mahesh Prasad Dahal, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and representatives of the National Youth Council.

In the evening yesterday, the Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, Ambassador Durga Prasad Bhattarai, hosted a dinner in honour of the visiting delegation.

31 January 2018