South Asian News Network

Kathmandu, Oct 10: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal returned home today following his participation in the high-level ‘Pre-Cop Leaders Event’ held in Fiji and Tuvalu, as well as an official visit to Australia. Talking to media upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Foreign Minister Khanal said the Government of Australia had announced grants worth 15 million Australian dollars to assist Nepal’s reconstruction efforts following the devastating Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system floods. The total amount of monetary aid announced by the Australian government for post-disaster response efforts b has now reached 26 million Australian dollars, according to the Minister. The Minister said Nepal raised the concern over increasing snow-melting and rising sea levels in the Event, calling for greater collaboration among nations from the mountainous regions to coastal areas to address these interconnected impacts of climate change. Sharing Nepal’s priorities for COP-31 with media, he reaffirmed the country’s commitment to limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, securing grant-based climate adaptation finance that does not add to the debt burden, ensuring the effective operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, and advancing the ‘Sagarmatha to Sea’ partnership. COP-31 is scheduled to be organised in Antalya, Türkiye, on November 9-20, 2026. It is said during bilateral talks with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, discussions focused on climate cooperation, the enhancement of early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, and the expansion of technical partnerships. Similarly, a meeting with New South Wales Premier Chris Minns focused on exchanging experiences in flood and bushfire management, as well as reconstruction efforts. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal’s participation in the ‘Pre- COP Leaders Event’ took place at the joint invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, and Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Penitala Teo. The visit aimed to build political consensus ahead of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (CO