Sewa Lamsal Foreign Secretary and Head of the Nepali Delegation to the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), addressed the General Debate of the Conference held in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.

Addressing the Conference as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Ms. Lamsal offered gratitude to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, congratulated the SIDS for adopting Antigua and Barbuda Action for SIDS (ABAS), expressed LDCs’ solidarity with them, and called the international community for the effective implementation of ABAS. A number of Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers and High-level dignitaries addressed the General Debate.

Ms. Lamsal attended the Official Opening Ceremony of SIDS4 convened under the theme of “Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity” on 27 May 2024.

The Opening Segment of the Plenary was addressed by Sir Rodney Williams, the Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, António Guterres, the UN SecretaryGeneral, Dennis Francis, the President of the General Assembly, and other high dignitaries.

Following the Opening Segment, the Foreign Secretary held a meeting with the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS Rabab Fatima and discussed various issues of Nepal-UN partnership, including the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action, Nepal’s graduation and smooth transition, and the upcoming Third International Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3).

On the margins of the Conference, the Foreign Secretary met with Igor Zhovkva, Head of the Ukrainian delegation, and Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. In the meeting, matters related to Nepal-Ukraine relations and multilateral cooperation were discussed. She also had a bilateral meeting with Minna-Liina Lind, the Vice-Minister and Head of the Estonian Delegation.

They discussed Nepal-Estonia relations and cooperation under the UN frameworks. Later in the evening, she attended the official dinner hosted by Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda.

Foreign Secretary Ms. Sewa Lamsal arrived in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda on 25 May 2024 leading a Nepali Delegation to the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States. Upon arrival, she attended the welcome reception hosted by Sir. Rodney Williams, Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda.