Nepal seeks stronger climate diplomacy after deadly Bhotekoshi floods

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said Nepal must strengthen institutions and diplomacy after the Bhotekoshi floods. He said the disaster exposed climate risks to development and demands a coordinated national response.

Nepal needs to strengthen its institutions and widen its diplomatic efforts to deal better with climate-induced disasters, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Thursday, as the country reassesses its response after the recent Bhotekoshi floods.

Speaking at a meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives, Khanal said reducing the impact of climate change was a top government priority. He said the disaster had raised serious questions about Nepal’s development path and made it necessary to move beyond traditional approaches.

The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal. More than 1,400 people were killed and over 6,000 remain missing. Khanal described the floods as a “Himalayan tsunami”.

“The flood disaster has raised questions over Nepal’s journey to prosperity and expansion of development infrastructure. The river corridors, development of human settlements and hydropower projects are at the receiving end of climate change. So, it is urgent for us to think beyond traditional approaches,” the foreign minister said. “The development gains of the last 25 years have been dented, thereby making us reconsider the narrative of prosperity,” he said.

Khanal said the situation called for a “whole of government” approach rather than action by one ministry alone or treating the disaster as an isolated event. He also stressed the need for scientific data and evidence-based advocacy to strengthen Nepal’s position at international forums. He said the country should develop a broader climate agenda instead of focusing only on immediate agreements at global conferences such as the UN General Assembly. “The UNGA would be an opportunity to hold bilateral and multilateral meetings to talk on pressing issues like climate change,” he said.

The minister said the government would formally approach friendly countries and the international community for help in post-disaster recovery after completing a post-disaster needs assessment. He said building a global campaign for Nepal would help create an atmosphere in the country’s favour. Khanal also said that while climate diplomacy was often discussed, the role of the Foreign Ministry in the state system on climate change was not yet well-established, and institutional design and long-term policy were now being planned. In essence, he said Nepal must combine stronger institutions, scientific evidence, wider diplomacy and coordinated government action to respond to climate-driven disasters.