Kathmandu : Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba returned home today after participating in the 44th session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held in Rome, Italy.
Minister Rana also took part in the High-Level Ministerial Conference organized on the sidelines of the conference.
Rana had addressed the main session of the FAO Conference held between June 28 to July 4 in addition to other high-level sideline meetings and programmes.
In her remarks, the Minister mentioned that Nepal recognizes the right to food as a fundamental right and have put in place legislations to implement the right.
She highlighted Nepal’s efforts towards guaranteeing safe and quality foods through regulatory standards, laboratory surveillance and consumer protection mechanism under the Food and Quality Control policy.
Furthermore, she shed light on the food and nutrition challenges faced by people in the least developed countries, islands and landlocked countries. Rana also drew the attention of the global community towards Nepal’s vulnerability to climate change and called for global climate actions.
The Minister also urged the international community for grant in climate finance to support sustainable agriculture system in the countries like Nepal having climate-vulnerable region.
She requested the guarantee of grant-based international climate finance for Nepal, especially for its mountainous regions struggling with the impacts of climate change.
In her subsequent visit to Germany, Minister Rana held bilateral talks with German Foreign Minister Dr Johann David Wadephul in Berlin on last Tuesday.
During the meeting, the two discussed a wide range of bilateral issues including Nepal-Germany relations, matters of mutual interest and common global concerns.
She emphasized collective effort to bolster bilateral trade and promote partnership between the private sectors of the both countries.
Furthermore, she urged the German government to consider investment in Nepal, particularly the chemical fertilizer production factory.
Proposing operation of direct flight between Nepal and Germany, Minister Rana articulated Nepal’s anticipation of continued technological, financial and resources support from Germany and the European Union (EU) and other stakeholders as Nepal seeks to graduate from least developed countries to developing countries in 2026.
She also sought Germany’s role in lifting the EU’s ban on the Nepali Airlines from in its airspace, noting Nepal’s ongoing efforts to legislative reforms that align with the aviation regulations of the EU and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
She also requested Germany’s support for Nepal’s candidacies for key positions in international bodies, especially for membership in the UN Human Rights Council, the Economic and Council and non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
During her visits in Italy and Germany, the Minister also marked her presence in the events organized by the Investment Board to attract foreign investment to Nepal.
Minister Rana, upon her arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, was welcomed by Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and other senior officials. (RSS)