Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah used his first address to the United Nations General Assembly to criticise what he described as a “broken” global system, arguing that countries can move weapons across borders far more efficiently than essential supplies such as food, fuel and fertiliser.
Speaking at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 24, Shah said Nepal and other South Asian countries were being affected by climate change and conflicts beyond their control.
“We have built a world with flawless logistics for war and broken logistics for food,” Shah said.
The 36-year-old rapper-turned-politician called for a Himalayan climate resilience system led collectively by India, China and Nepal. His remarks came as Nepal continues to rebuild after devastating floods that struck the country on August 26.
‘Ask Bangladesh, Ask Bhutan, Ask India’
Shah said the problems facing Nepal were part of a broader regional crisis, affecting countries across South Asia.
“This is not Nepal’s private misfortune. Ask Bangladesh. Ask Bhutan. Ask India. Ask the Maldives. Ask Pakistan. Ask Sri Lanka. Ask any other country in our region and you will hear the same account,” he said.
He argued that military equipment can move quickly across borders, while basic supplies needed by ordinary people often face delays.
“Rifles and ammunition cross borders, clear every bottleneck, meet every deadline,” Shah said. He contrasted this with the difficulty faced by farmers trying to obtain fertiliser and fuel when they are needed.
Shah also pointed to the impact of climate change and global supply disruptions, saying Nepal was facing melting glaciers, failing harvests and floods alongside supply-chain problems.
“On the one hand, there are melting glaciers and failing harvests to floods arriving without warning. On the other hand, a global supply chain punishes poor people for causes beyond reason,” he said.
‘A Country Willing To Pay Should Be Able To Buy’
Shah said the international system should allow countries to obtain essential goods when they need them.
“A country that is willing to pay should be able to buy,” he said, arguing that a world capable of delivering a weapon anywhere “in seventy-two hours” should not leave farmers without the means to earn a livelihood.
The Nepal PM said the issue was not limited to his country, pointing to Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as nations dealing with climate and supply-chain pressures.
“[They are] hit by the climate we did not warm, and hit again by the wars we did not start,” Shah said.
He concluded by calling for stronger international cooperation so that both wealthy and developing nations can access necessities when required.