Kathmandu. Foreign Minister Dr. Arju Rana Deuba returned home today after visiting some European countries and India for about two weeks. Foreign Minister Dr. Arju Rana Deuba returned to the country on Monday after completing his visit to Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and India.
After returning home, talking to mediapersons at Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday evening, she informed that she had important meetings and talks in Europe and presented the grounds for climate justice demand on behalf of Nepal at the International Court of Justice located in The Hague, Netherlands.
Minister Dr. Rana left for Europe on November 10. It is reported that the main objective of her visit is to present on behalf of Nepal the impact of climate change on Nepal and the compensation it should receive.
She said that she and her delegation raised the issue in the court on December 24 last. Minister Dr. Rana informed that for the first time in the International Court, Nepal has demanded climate justice by showing its situation about the current situation of climate change and its effects on Nepal.
During the visit, she informed that they had separate meetings with Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, and Belgian Foreign Minister Bernard Quintin, and discussed bilateral interests and mutual interests.
Similarly, she informed that she had a separate meeting with European Union’s Commissioner for Climate Action Opke Hostra and Commissioner for International Partnership Joseph Sikela in Brussels, Belgium and talked about the relationship between Nepal and the European Union, the impact of climate change on Nepal and the climate justice that Nepal should get.
Minister Dr. Rana also said that she had urged them to take the initiative to remove the provisions related to the ban (safety list) imposed on Nepali air services in European skies.
She informed that she had visited the climate research institute in Potsdam, Germany, and interacted with scientists and researchers there to request research on the impact of climate change on Nepal’s mountainous regions and communities.
Similarly, on January 2nd, Foreign Minister Dr. Rana, while addressing the equal rights conference held in Berlin, Germany, also informed the international community that Nepal has achieved many achievements in the field of inclusion and human rights of the gender and sexual minorities (LGBT).
She had reached New Delhi, India, on Friday from Berlin, Germany. Addressing the Indo-Nepal Economic Conference organized in New Delhi on the same day, Minister Dr. Rana informed that Nepal has requested additional air routes from India.
On that occasion, she informed that she has asked the Indian Airlines operator for more flights, saying that India is expected to cooperate with them for the full capacity operation of the recently constructed Pokhara and Gautam Budh International Airports.
In response to a question from the media, Minister Dr. Rana clarified that her visit to India this time was to participate in the economic conference and that there was no political meeting or discussion as it was a ‘follow-up’ of her health treatment.