Kathmandu, March 17: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Chandra Prakash Mainali, held a bilateral meeting with Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, in New York today.
On the occasion, DPM Mainali thanked the Secretary-General for his leadership to the UN Organization as well as for his love, regards and cooperation to Nepal and the Nepalese people and also for his support to the political process and development in Nepal, including in the most recent difficult times.
He highlighted the democratic and inclusive character of the new constitution of Nepal and the continuing efforts of the government to find durable solution to remaining issues through dialogue among the stake-holders and governmental initiative to build a high-level political committee, according to Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations.
Earlier, welcoming the Deputy Prime Minister, the Secretary-General thanked him for leading the Nepalese delegation to the 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
He underscored the significance of the CSW session towards realizing gender equality and empowerment of women. Secretary General Ban further said that gender equality was an issue beyond politics and nobody could dispute about it.
The Secretary-General further said that the United Nations was closely following the Nepalese efforts for development, adding that he was going to dispatch a delegation under the leadership of Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson to Nepal in the near future and asked for the cooperation of the Government of Nepal.
The Secretary-General also asked for ensuring Nepal’s participation in the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May 2016.
During the meeting, DPM Mainali also handed-over the invitation letter on behalf of the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to Secretary-General Ban inviting him to visit Nepal to attend the 2560th Buddha Jayanti celebrations in Lumbini in May 2016.
The Secretary-General expressed his thankfulness to Prime Minister Oli for the invitation.
Similarly, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Pokharel informed the Secretary-General on the preparations being made for the success of the celebrations.
He said that the Nepalese people as well as all peace-lovers and Buddhist organizations and people from around the world are eagerly looking forward to warmly welcoming the Secretary-General on the occasion.
Deputy Prime Minister Mainali was accompanied by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Ananda Prasad Pokharel, and former Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Neelam K.C (Khadka).