Preparations over for HKH Parliamentarians' Meet-2025

 Kathmandu, Aug 17: The entire preparations were over for the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Parliamentarians’ Meet-2025, which is scheduled to begin in Kathmandu on Monday.     

The event aims to explore common understandings, dialogues and coordination among the parliamentarians of the nations in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, it is said.     

The two-day event to be technically assisted by the ICIMOD will be participated in by parliamentary representatives from Nepal, India, China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Pakistan. Afghanistan has not been invited to the meeting as Nepal has not yet recognised the incumbent government of Afghanistan.     

President Ramchandra Paudel will be attending the meet as the Chief Guest, while Speaker Devraj Ghimire will attend it as the Special Guest.     

An inaugural session is scheduled to commence at 9:30 am tomorrow, and the session will be attended by the President, Speaker, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Forest and Environment, ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho and special dignitaries from various nations.     

The inaugural session will be followed by various technical sessions.     

The meeting will have the participation of around 30 people who include parliamentarians, chairs and representatives of parliamentary committees from the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, as well as experts on climate change, air pollution, and environmental issues.     

In addition, representatives from partner organisations, experts from Nepal’s Federal Parliament, and relevant government officials will also turn up at the event.     

The meeting is being organised in coordination with the Ministry of Forests and Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.     

Organising Committee Coordinator Bir Bahadur Balayar confirmed that the entire preparations for the meeting have been over.     

The issues of climate change in the Hindu Kush region, its impacts on the environment and biodiversity, disaster risk and challenges will be discussed in-depth in the meeting.     

"The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region is increasingly facing severe impacts of climate change, disaster risks, biodiversity loss, and pollution alongside accelerated socio-economic shifts with serious implications to ecosystems, natural resources, livelihoods and human life. Given the significant role of parliamentarians in policymaking, legislation, and shaping public opinion, parliamentarians from the HKH countries can be crucial in advancing the region’s climate action and resilience agenda," the ICIMOD cites on its official website.