KATHMANDU, Nov 4: President Ramchandra Paudel has said that Nepal is committed to fulfilling the aspirations of its youth and ensuring accountable and corruption-free governance in the wake of the recent Gen Z movement.
President Paudel made the pledge during his meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in Doha, Qatar, on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development, which began on Tuesday.
President Paudel is currently in Qatar at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, leading a Nepali delegation to the summit.
During the meeting, Paudel praised the UN’s efforts in implementing the Copenhagen commitments—a set of global pledges to promote social development, eradicate poverty, and foster full employment and social integration—and expressed Nepal’s readiness to work closely with the UN to advance shared goals of peace, social justice, and sustainable development.
“A new government has been formed in Nepal after the Gen Z movement last September, which called for accountability, responsibility, and a corruption-free system. We are committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the youth,” President Paudel was quoted as saying by his Press Advisor Kiran Pokharel.
Paudel informed the Secretary-General that the House of Representatives (HoR) had been dissolved and a general election had been announced for March 5, expressing confidence that the polls would provide a political outlet and ensure good governance, development, and prosperity. “We have safely steered the country through the Gen Z movement, protecting Nepal’s constitution and democracy,” he said.
Highlighting the impact of climate change, President Paudel noted that despite Nepal’s negligible carbon emissions, the country has faced severe consequences. “As you observed during your visit to Everest Base Camp, our white mountains are turning black. These mountains are the source of water for much of Asia, but the rapid melting of snow threatens entire ecosystems and livelihoods downstream,” he said, calling for greater international support for climate adaptation and mitigation.
The president further stressed the need to address global challenges such as poverty reduction, employment generation, and social inclusion, expressing hope that the Doha summit would reaffirm global commitments to social development and accelerate progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In response, Secretary-General Guterres said the UN is working to secure greater support from developed nations for countries like Nepal affected by climate change. He commended Nepal’s progress in human rights and expressed confidence in Nepal’s institutional capacity to address internal challenges following the Gen Z movement.
President Paudel left for Qatar on Monday and is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on November 6.