PM directs for sound preparation to hold Sagarmatha Sambaad

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 15: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inspected the Sagarmatha Sambaad (dialogue) Secretariat on Friday and instructed its officials for efficient and well-organised preparations. 

The Sagarmatha Sambaad is scheduled to take place in Kathmandu from May 16 to May 18.

During his visit and inspection of the Secretariat established at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, Prime Minister Oli stressed that the event's core message should be effectively conveyed alongside efficient management to project a strong impression in the international community, read a press note issued by the Prime Minister’s secretariat on Friday.

For the event, a steering committee chaired by Prime Minister Oli has been formed, with Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba as its chairperson and Forest and Environment Minister Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri as the co-chairperson of the management committee.

Similarly, a secretariat has been established under the coordination of the Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

The government has extended invitations to the heads of State and Government of the neighbouring countries, India and China, among other nations, as special guests for the event.

Talking to The Rising Nepal, Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, Joint-Secretary and Member Secretary of the Secretariat, said that 200 invitations have already been despatched to over 50 countries. The invitees include heads of State and Government, forest ministers, international representatives, IPCC scientists and climate change experts.

He added that the next round of invitations would begin next week, once confirmations from the initial invitees are received. “We are expecting around 350 participants, including 50 government officials, 50 volunteers and various distinguished guests, with a particular focus on participants from the Asian countries,” he said.

He also informed that a press conference would be held on Sunday to provide updates on the programme's preparations. 

Dr. Dhakal said that it will be two months since the official announcement of the Sambaad by Sunday, with the event scheduled to take place two months later. “So to address all media professionals at once, we have decided to hold a press meet on Sunday,” he said.

He also confirmed that the government will cover the conference expenses. Currently, around 15 staff members are working in the secretariat, including five joint secretaries -- three from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the others from the Ministry of Forests and Environment.

On January 21 this year, marking the International Year of Glaciers 2025, Prime Minister Oli announced Kathmandu as the venue for the first Sagarmatha Sambaad. The government is hosting this global dialogue every two years for the first time, with a focus on climate change, the Himalayas, and the future of human life, the press note read.