Dr Som P. Pudasaini’s Conflict Resolution, Diplomacy, and Sustainable Development (Selected Writings of a Global Nepali Professional) is a reflective and wide-ranging collection that brings together more than five decades of intellectual engagement with Nepal’s development challenges. Drawing on his long career as a development practitioner and senior United Nations official, the book offers both a personal and analytical account of how ideas, policies and practices around development have evolved in Nepal and beyond.
The volume is structured around three interrelated thematic strands. The first focuses on contemporary politics, governance and diplomacy, examining issues of conflict resolution, regional connectivity and Nepal’s positioning within a complex regional and global order. These essays are particularly valuable for readers interested in understanding how political stability, effective diplomacy and sound governance are integral to sustainable development in a fragile and conflict-prone context.
A second set of writings addresses population dynamics and reproductive health, an area in which Dr Pudasaini has extensive professional experience. Tracing the evolution of national policies over time, these pieces highlight how demographic change, family planning and reproductive health have shaped Nepal’s development outcomes. The analysis reflects both policy insight and institutional memory, offering a rare longitudinal perspective on a sector often discussed only in technical terms.
Sustainable Tourism Challenges
The third thematic cluster looks back to debates on agricultural productivity, mechanisation and education during the 1970s and 1980s. By revisiting these earlier discussions, the author reminds readers that many of today’s development dilemmas have deep historical roots. These chapters serve as an important corrective to the tendency to treat development challenges as entirely new or disconnected from past policy choices.
What binds these diverse writings together is a consistent concern for sustainable development. For Dr Pudasaini, sustainability is not merely a policy slogan but a guiding principle that has shaped Nepal’s socio-economic trajectory over the past half century, as well as his own professional journey. Spanning the period from 1971 to 2024, the collection functions as both a historical record and a reflective guide for future generations seeking to understand Nepal’s long and often uneven path towards inclusive and sustainable development.
Dr Som P. Pudasaini
The author’s credibility is reinforced by his distinguished career within the United Nations system, including his roles as UNFPA Representative to Yemen and Sri Lanka, Country Director in the Maldives, Senior Advisor and National Coordinator at UNFPA Nepal, and Director General of the Family Planning Association of Nepal. This experience lends the book an authority that bridges theory, policy and practice.
Overall, Conflict Resolution, Diplomacy, and Sustainable Development is a thoughtful and timely contribution to Nepal’s development literature. It will appeal to policymakers, scholars, students and development practitioners alike, offering not only insights into Nepal’s past and present challenges but also lessons for building a more sustainable future.
