Hon. Dr. Puspa Raj Kadel, Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission of Nepal, led the Nepali delegation to the High-Level/Ministerial Segment of the 2018 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, convened under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York.
In the afternoon today, the Hon. Vice-Chairman delivered Nepal’s national statement in a plenary meeting. In the statement, the Hon. Vice-Chairman highlighted that Nepal was making all-out efforts “to fully implement the inclusive and rights-based Constitution promulgated in 2015”. The Vice-Chairman Dr. Kadel added that with the political stability in decades in the country following the conclusion of the three-tiered elections, the focus of the Government has shifted to economic prosperity with the vision of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali”.
While reiterating that Nepal is doing all it can, including in forging partnerships among public, private and social sectors at home, the Hon. Vice-Chairman further said that Nepal looks forward to “increased cooperation and partnerships with all our international partners for necessary resources, technology and other policy supports as agreed in development outcomes such as 2030 Agenda”. The Vice-Chairman Dr. Kadel concluded his statement by saying that “HLPF must seek to ensure that the UN has system-wide coherence in sustainable development programs and policies, particularly in the context of the repositioning of the UNDS, so that it can ‘deliver as one’ on the ground”.
On the margins of the HLPF, Nepal co-organized a side event, “Energy sector transformation–Decentralized renewable energy for universal energy access” this morning, to showcase progress in Nepal towards ensuring access to affordable and sustainable energy for all and transformation of the energy sector into renewable sources. Delivering his opening remarks, the Hon. Vice-Chairman highlighted the need to transform into renewable energy sources and the Government’s commitment towards transforming the energy sector in partnership with all stakeholders, including the private sector. Mr. Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation; and Mr. Ram Prasad Dhital, Executive Director of the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) also spoke in the event on Government’s policies and plans to ensure energy access for all and energy sector transformation in Nepal.
The Hon. Vice Chairman also participated in various other side events as speaker and shared Nepal’s perspectives, highlighting the Government’s recent initiatives to achieve all SDGs and their targets.
Nepal also co-organized a side-event, “Reducing inequalities through urgent action on WASH: SDG6 as an enabler for achieving the 2030 Agenda for All”. Speaking in the opening of the side event, Ambassador Durga Prasad Bhattarai, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, highlighted the efforts of the Government to ensure clean and safe drinking water and sanitation, including efforts in improving the related social and cultural ways of life. Similarly, Mr. Nirmal Raj Kafle, Deputy Permanent Representative, participated as a panelist in a side event, “A rights-based approach to menstrual hygiene management: integrating water, sanitation, health, and gender equality to achieve the SDGs” and highlighted, while outlining Nepal’s socio-economic context, the importance of achieving all health and sanitation related goals and targets.
Later in the afternoon today, the Secretary-General of the United Nations addressed a plenary meeting of HLPF to highlight the importance of the Forum in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The 2018 HLPF, including the High-Level/Ministerial Session, concluded today by adopting a Ministerial Declaration by a vote.
***
Coinciding with the 2018 HLPF, the annual meeting of the National Focal Points (NFPs) of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was organized in New York on 12 and 13 July 2018. The meeting this year focused on achieving structural transformation through productive capacity building in LDCs. Mr. Khomraj Koirala, Joint Secretary at the National Planning Commission, attended the meeting.
***
The HLPF is the central platform of the United Nations for providing political leadership, guidance and recommendations for the implementation and follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda. The Forum reviewed progress towards achieving SDGs 6, 7, 11, 12 and 15 in addition to the annual review of SDG17. This is the third HLPF after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in 2015. This year’s HLPF, including the High-Level/Ministerial Segment from 16-18 July, was organized from 09 to 18 July 2018 under the theme of “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”. A separate high-level policy dialogue with international financial and trade institutions follows the HLPF on 19 July 2018. Altogether 47 Member States presented their VNRs this year. Nepal presented its VNR during the 2017 HLPF last year. A copy of the Vice-Chairman’s statement and a few photographs are attached for further reference. Details regarding the Forum, including the full text and programme of the 2018 HLPF Ministerial Declaration can be accessed at: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf/2018.
—-
New York
18 July 2018