Foreign Affairs Minister Khanal returns home after climate diplomacy and Australia visit

Kathmandu: Foreign Affairs Minister Shishir Khanal has returned home after participating in high-level climate change events in Fiji and Tuvalu and completing an official visit to Australia.

Speaking to reporters at Tribhuvan International Airport today, Foreign Affairs Minister Khanal said Australia has announced an additional 15 million Australian dollars in grant assistance for post-flood reconstruction, bringing its total support for flood disaster response to 26 million Australian dollars.

During the Pre-COP Leaders’ Plenary, he highlighted Nepal’s priorities for COP-31, including limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, grant-based climate finance, effective mobilisation of the Loss and Damage Fund, and cooperation from Everest to the sea.

During his visit to Australia, Foreign Affairs Minister Khanal called on Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House in Canberra.

The two sides also discussed climate cooperation, including Himalayan conservation, climate resilience and the establishment of early warning systems.

In separate meetings with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, discussions covered climate-resilient infrastructure, technical cooperation, and sharing experiences in flood and fire management and post-disaster reconstruction.