NEW YORK:- Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal has said that disruptions in global energy and supply chains are severely affecting vulnerable countries like Nepal, with rising fuel prices, declining remittance inflows and slowing tourism directly impacting livelihoods.

Addressing the special meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council on “Safeguarding Energy and Supply Flows: Supporting Global Development through International Cooperation” at the UN Headquarters in New York on Friday through a pre-recorded video message, Minister Khanal said the ongoing conflict in West Asia has created serious economic pressures for countries dependent on overseas employment and imported energy.

He said disruptions in global energy and supply systems pose growing threats to poverty reduction, human security and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Stressing the importance of diplomacy and dialogue, he called for stronger multilateral cooperation based on solidarity, partnership and the principles of the UN Charter.

The Foreign Minister also urged the international community to expand investments in resilient infrastructure, renewable energy, sustainable supply systems and technological innovation. He further called for concessional financing, emergency liquidity support and debt relief measures for vulnerable countries, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) like Nepal.

The meeting was chaired by Lok Bahadur Thapa, who currently serves as Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and President of ECOSOC for the 2025–26 session. Thapa said disruptions in energy and supply flows are affecting industries, markets and the daily lives of people worldwide, describing the crisis as not only an energy challenge but also a development and financing challenge requiring stronger international cooperation.