KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will be leaving for New York on September 19 leading a Nepali delegation for the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The High Level Segment of the UNGA will begin on 19 September with the theme ‘Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet’, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press statement today.

While in New York, the Prime Minister will address the United Nations General Assembly on 23 September.

The Prime Minister will hold bilateral meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the same day.

On the sidelines of the UNGA, the Prime Minister will have bilateral meetings with the President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani; President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena; Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina; and Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on 21 September.

Likewise, the Prime Minister is scheduled to address the Columbia University's World Leaders Forum.

Prime Minister Deuba will also hold a bilateral meeting with the President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid on 22 September.

The Prime Minister will then address and give directions to the Americas-based Heads of Nepali Diplomatic Missions.

PM Deuba will also attend the National Day reception to be hosted by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations in New York on September 22 as the Chief Guest.

Similarly, the Prime Minister will attend the National Day programme being organised by the Consulate General of Nepal in New York on 23 September.

Prime Minister Deuba will leave New York for Muscat, Oman on 24 September where he is scheduled to address Heads of Nepali Diplomatic Missions based in the Gulf region and provide direction on matters relating to promoting and protecting interest of Nepal and Nepali migrant workers in the region.

Minister for Labour and Employment Farmullah Mansur will join the delegation in Muscat.

DPM Mahara will be leaving for New York today

prior to the departure of the Prime Minister from Kathmandu.

Likewise, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara will leave for New York today to participate in the Assembly.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will Chair the Informal Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers on 21 September 2017.

While in New York, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will participate and address the ministerial meetings of the Non-Alignment Movement, G77 and China, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Land-locked Developing Countries. He will represent Nepal at the Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will attend the reception hosted by US President Donald Trump on 19 September and will join the luncheon hosted by the UN Secretary General in the same afternoon.

During his stay in New York, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahara will participate in the high-level meetings organised by different organizations.

On the sidelines, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Bahrain, Bhutan, Norway, Oman and Qatar. He will also have bilateral meetings with senior officials of the United Nations.

Similarly, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will sign the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty adopted at the United Nations Conference in July this year.

Nepali delegation includes Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Asha Koirala; Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai; Foreign Secretary Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi; Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations in New York, Mr. Durga Prasad Bhattarai and other senior officials of the Government of Nepal.

The Prime Minister and his delegation will return home on September 28.