Awaza city: Lawmaker Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri has expressed his confidence that the Awaza programme of action will be useful towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the stipulated time by addressing challenges facing the Landlocked Developing Countries. He made these remarks while representing Nepal at a thematic session organized by the United Nations Office and Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Awaza City, Turkmenistan. The session was attended by lawmakers from Turkmenistan and high-level representatives from Least Developed Countries, landlocked, and island developing countries.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Chhetri emphasized the crucial responsibility of parliament in effectively implementing the programme of action. He suggested developing a mechanism to monitor, evaluate, and review the progress made in enforcing the action plan, and encouraged the government to take concrete initiatives in this regard. He highlighted that peace, trust, and good governance are essential and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development, especially for Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).
Chhetri noted that Nepal has entered an era of political stability and socio-economic transformation following the promulgation of its Constitution. However, he acknowledged that in many LLDCs, parliaments face systemic capacity constraints, and marginalized voices, particularly those of women, youth, and vulnerable communities, are often underrepresented in decision-making processes. He stated that Nepal is working diligently to achieve the SDGs within the designated timeframe through its mechanisms and societal capabilities, while calling for additional support from development partners to bridge gaps and overcome challenges in certain sectors.
Additionally, Chhetri stressed the importance of raising the voice of LLDCs with solid evidence to achieve the SDGs through effective implementation of the programme of action. He advocated for using regional and global forums, including IPU and high-level political mechanisms, to foster mutual trust, peace, and collaboration among LLDCs and neighboring countries.