परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालयको नियमित प्रेस ब्रिफिङ

परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालय, सिंहदरबार

(३:०० बजे, भदौ २६ गते शुक्रबार)
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Today’s briefing will cover two important matters, in two parts.

First, the Foreign Secretary will provide a brief on the participation of the Nepali delegation, led by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, in the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In our second part, we will provide the latest update on the situation following the devastating Bhote Koshi River floods, including the ongoing coordination efforts, among other related matters.  

1. सम्माननीय प्रधानमन्त्रीज्यूको संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघको ८१औँ महासभामा सहभागिता

• सम्माननीय प्रधानमन्त्री श्री वालेन्द्र शाहज्यू नेतृत्वको उच्चस्तरीय नेपाली प्रतिनिधिमण्डल संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघको ८१औँ महासभामा सहभागी हुने कार्यक्रम तय भएको छ। उक्त महासभाको High-level General Debate २२ देखि २८ सेप्टेम्बर २०२६ सम्म न्यूयोर्कमा सञ्चालन हुनेछ।
• महासभाको General Debate मा सम्माननीय प्रधानमन्त्री श्री वालेन्द्र शाहले २४ सेप्टेम्बर २०२६ मा सम्बोधन गर्नुहुने कार्यक्रम रहेको छ।
• यस पटकको महासभाको मूल थिम Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All रहेको छ।
• संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघबाट प्राप्त जानकारी अनुसार हालसम्म उक्त महासभामा ८१ मुलुकका राष्ट्र प्रमुख र नेपाल सहित ५० मुलुकका सरकार प्रमुखहरू सहभागी हुँदै छन्।
• नेपालमा गत वर्ष भएको जेनजी आन्दोलन, त्यसपछि भएको सफल निर्वाचन र सोमार्फत् ठूलो जनमत सहित गठन भएको वर्तमान सरकारका प्राथमिकता लगायतका विषयहरू अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समुदायसमक्ष प्रस्तुत गर्न र अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय सहयोग एवम् सद्भावको निरन्तरता र बढोत्तरीका लागि उच्चस्तरबाटै आव्हान गर्न यो महासभा महत्त्वपूर्ण अवसरको रूपमा रहेको छ।
• २६ अगस्ट २०२६ मा रसुवाको भोटेकोशी नदीमा आएको विनाशकारी बाढीका कारण नेपालले अपूरणीय क्षति भोग्नुपरेको छ। यसले नेपाल जलवायु संकटको अग्रपङ्क्तिमा रहेको पुनर्पुष्टि गरेको छ। विश्‍वव्यापी हरितगृह ग्यास उत्सर्जनमा नेपालले नगण्य योगदान पुर्‍याए तापनि यसका नकारात्मक असरहरूबाट नेपालजस्ता मुलुकहरू सर्वाधिक पीडित हुनुपरेको अवस्था छ। यस सन्दर्भमा सम्माननीय प्रधानमन्त्रीज्यूबाट महासभामा अन्य विषयहरूका अतिरिक्त मूलतः निम्न विषयहरू पनि प्रस्तुत हुनेछन्-

• जलवायु परिवर्तन र यसबाट सिर्जित प्रकोपबाट नेपालले बारम्बार भोग्नुपरेको जनधनको ठूलो क्षति बारे विश्वसमुदायको ध्यानाकर्षण गर्ने।
• नेपालले नगन्य कार्बन उत्सर्जन गरे तापनि जलवायु परिवर्तनका नकारात्मक असरहरू भोग्नुपरिरहेको विषयलाई प्रस्तुत गर्ने।
• यस सन्दर्भमा नेपालले Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) लगायतका निकायबाट तत्कालै र उचित क्षतिपूर्ति प्राप्त गर्ने जस्ता जलवायु न्याय (Climate Justice) सम्बन्धी विषयमा विश्व समुदायलाई आह्वान गर्ने।
• नेपालमा Climate Resilient पूर्वाधार निर्माण गर्न, Climate Smart कृषि प्रवर्द्धन गर्न र सरोकारवालाहरूको क्षमता विकास गर्न आवश्यक प्रविधि र जलवायु वित्त (Climate Finance) सहज र सहुलियतपूर्ण रूपमा उपलब्ध गराउन धनी र विकसित मुलुकहरूलाई अपिल गर्ने।
• साथै, नेपालले प्रकृति-मैत्री जीवनशैली, ४६ प्रतिशतभन्दा बढी जङ्गल, विशाल हिमालय क्षेत्र र बृहद् नदी प्रणालीमार्फत विश्व वातावरण संरक्षण र प्रवर्द्धनमा पुर्‍याउँदै आएको योगदानको बारेमा जानकारी गराउने।

• यस महासभामा नेपालले Sagarmatha to the Sea: A Call to Action for a Climate-Resilient Future विषयक side-event आयोजना गर्दै छ। विश्वव्यापी जलवायु परिवर्तनका कारण खास गरी हिमाल क्षेत्रमा परेका नकारात्मक प्रभाव र यसबाट सिर्जित विनाशकारी परिणामका बारेमा छलफल गरी विश्व समुदायको ध्यानाकर्षण गर्नु यस कार्यक्रमको मूल उद्देश्य रहेको छ।

• माननीय परराष्ट्र मन्त्री श्री शिशिर खनाल अति कम विकसित मुलुकहरू, भूपरिवेष्टित विकासोन्मुख मुलुकहरू, असंलग्न मुलुकहरू, G77 and China लगायतका मन्त्रीस्तरीय बैठकहरूमा सहभागी हुनुहुनेछ। साथै, संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघले आयोजना गरेका अन्य उच्चस्तरीय छलफल तथा Side Event हरूलाई पनि सम्बोधन गर्नुहुनेछ। यसका अलावा, माननीय परराष्ट्र मन्त्रीज्यूले छिमेकी मुलुकलगायत विभिन्न मित्र राष्ट्रका समकक्षी तथा संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघका उच्च पदाधिकारीहरूसँग भेटवार्ता गर्नुहुनेछ।

सम्माननीय प्रधानमन्त्रीज्यूको प्रतिनिधिमण्डलमा माननीय परराष्ट्र मन्त्री श्री शिशिर खनाल, सम्माननीय प्रधानमन्त्रीज्यूका प्रमुख सल्लाहकार श्री कुमार व्यञ्जनकार, परराष्ट्र सचिव श्री अमृतबहादुर राईलगायतका उच्च पदस्थ पदाधिकारीहरू सहभागी हुनुहुनेछ।

यस सम्बन्धी थप जानकारी मन्त्रालय र न्यूयोर्कस्थित नेपाली नियोगबाट निरन्तर रूपमा उपलब्ध हुने नै छ।

2. Situation Update on the Bhote Koshi River Floods

The search and rescue operations continue today on the seventeenth day of the severe Bhote Koshi River Floods on 26 August 2026 that resulted in huge loss of lives, widespread displacement and extensive damage to houses, buildings, roads, bridges, hydropower facilities and other critical infrastructure in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and other districts along the course of the river in Nepal.

1. The Government continues to mobilise all available means and resources at its disposal for search, rescue and relief operations.
2. At the highest level, the Government has strengthened coordination, both domestically and internationally, to ensure the effective mobilisation of international assistance. The Rt. Hon. Prime Minister and the Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs have been actively engaged in coordinating with friendly countries and international partners. This morning, the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister held a telephone conversation with H. E. Prime Minister of New Zealand.
3. Tunnel rescue teams from India, China and the Republic of Korea (new team) continue to work in close coordination with the Nepali Army. Search and Rescue (SAR) teams from the United Arab Emirates, the Special Malaysian Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) and the Disaster Assistance and Response Team (DART) from Australia are also supporting the ongoing operations.
4. Search and rescue operations continue at affected hydropower projects and other locations. Equipment, drones, load carriers and other rescue materials received from neighbouring and friendly countries are being utilised in these operations.

• Given the scale and complexity of the disaster and the continuing search, rescue and relief operations, additional equipment and supplies are still required. The Government has identified and formally communicated requests to international partners for a range of specialised equipment and supplies, including: high-capacity drones; LiDAR systems; Bailey bridges; epidemic-prevention supplies; DNA testing kits; underwater drones; high-capacity surge pumps etc.
• Close coordination with relevant international partners is underway to facilitate the timely mobilisation of the required assistance.

5. According to the latest information received from the concerned agencies:

• 13,676 people have been rescued so far, including more than 320 foreign nationals;
• approximately 5,130 people remain missing, including around 600 foreign nationals from approximately 35 countries; and
• 1,385 bodies have been recovered from the flood-affected areas.

These figures remain subject to continuous updating as search, recovery and verification operations continue.

6. The Government continues to work actively to restore road, electricity and telecommunication connectivity in the affected areas and to ensure the timely delivery of relief materials to affected communities. Along the Galchhi–Trishuli road section, the installation of an Acrow Bridge over the Tadi River at Devighat has been completed and the bridge is now open to the public. Road clearance, site clearance and the removal of obstructions are continuing at various locations in the affected areas.
7. Nepal has mobilised all resources at its disposal for the response. At the same time, given the scale and complexity of this disaster, continued international solidarity and support remain important.
8. Nepal has received valuable and timely support from its immediate neighbours, friendly countries, international organisations, development partners and philanthropists. We express our deep gratitude for the solidarity and support extended by the international community at this difficult time.
9. The Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) report was prepared and is now shared with the agencies concerned. The assessment provides an initial picture of the extensive damage and needs arising from the disaster, covering the social, productive and infrastructure sectors as well as cross-cutting areas.
10. According to the assessment, the total damage caused by the disaster is estimated at approximately USD 1.8 billion, while the estimated loss is approximately USD 883 million.
11. The total estimated requirement for reconstruction is approximately USD 4.78 billion. Of this, approximately USD 57.67 million is estimated to be required for short-term reconstruction and recovery over the next six months, while approximately USD 4.71 billion is required for longer-term reconstruction.
12. Given the scale and extent of the damage, the Government is also undertaking a comprehensive Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) to determine the full extent of loss and damage and the requirements for recovery, rebuilding and reconstruction.
13. Regarding the management of the bodies recovered, the

concerned authorities have temporarily buried the recovered bodies after completing the necessary forensic procedures, in order to facilitate subsequent identification and the eventual handover of mortal remains to families for final rites.

Forensic teams from India, China, Japan, Singapore and the Republic of Korea are working with Nepal Police and other relevant authorities to accelerate DNA collection, analysis and identification.

14. The Chinese authorities have facilitated the return of 768 Nepali nationals to Nepal through the Tatopani border point.
15. The Ministry continues to operate the Emergency Control Room (ECR) for necessary coordination and assistance.
16. Updated information will continue to be made available through the Ministry's website and relevant government agencies.

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