KATHMANDU, AUGUST 9

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli returned home on Friday after attending the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) in Turkmenistan.

He was received at the VVIP Lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh, Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak, and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey.

Also present on the occasion were the Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal, the Chief of Army Staff, heads of security agencies, and other senior government officials. A contingent of the Nepal Army presented a guard of honour to the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Oli had travelled to Turkmenistan at the official invitation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedow and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. The conference was held in the city of Awaza from August 5 to 8.

During the event, Prime Minister Oli addressed the gathering in his capacity as Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of Least Developed Countries. He also co-chaired one of the high-level roundtable sessions and delivered remarks at several other programmes.

On the sidelines of the conference, the Prime Minister held bilateral talks with heads of delegations from various countries, as well as with senior UN officials and representatives of other international organisations.

The conference was attended by delegations from 32 landlocked developing countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. Discussions focused on issues such as securing direct sea access, overcoming challenges faced by landlocked nations, and capitalising on opportunities in global markets.

Prime Minister Oli was accompanied by his spouse Radhika Shakya, Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Federal Parliament Member Surya Bahadur Thapa Kshetree, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, and other senior government officials.

(With inputs from Rastriya Samachar Samiti)