Nepal PM Balendra Shah heads to UNGA 81st Session in first foreign trip
Synopsis
Nepal PM Balendra Shah's debut at the UNGA is not routine diplomacy — it is a crisis mission. With 1,410 flood deaths and 6,145 still missing after the 26 August Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river disaster, Kathmandu upgraded its delegation from foreign minister to prime minister level specifically to press the world for climate relief.
Key Takeaways
Nepal PM Balendra Shah departs for New York on 22 September to attend the 81st UNGA session.
This is Shah's first foreign trip since taking office on 27 March following the 5 March elections.
Floods on 26 August in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers have left 1,410 dead and 6,145 missing .
Nepal upgraded delegation leadership from Foreign Minister to Prime Minister after the disaster's scale became clear.
Shah will address the General Debate on 24 September and meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres .
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal departs earlier on 20 September for ministerial-level engagements.
Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah is set to travel to New York to attend the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), marking his first foreign trip since assuming office on 27 March. Shah is scheduled to depart on 22 September, leading the Nepali delegation during the High-Level Week of the UNGA, according to a statement from Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Devastating Floods Drive Urgency
The visit carries added weight following the catastrophic floods of 26 August that swept through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers in central Nepal. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the bodies of 1,410 people have so far been recovered, while 6,145 others remain missing as of Thursday evening. Climate change and the toll of climate-related disasters are expected to feature centrally in Nepal's engagements during the High-Level Week.
Notably, Nepal's Cabinet had originally decided to send Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal to lead the delegation. However, following the scale of the disaster, the government concluded that direct representation by the Prime Minister would better amplify Nepal's call for international attention and support.
Key Engagements on the Sidelines
Prime Minister Shah is scheduled to address the General Debate of the UNGA on 24 September — his first appearance at the annual gathering of world leaders in his current role. He is also set to meet United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres during his stay in New York.
Foreign Minister Khanal will depart for New York earlier, on 20 September, to participate in high-level meetings, side events, and ministerial-level engagements. Khanal is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts and other dignitaries.
Delegation Composition
The Nepali delegation accompanying Shah includes Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister Kumar Byanjankar, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, and other senior government officials.
Political Context
Shah assumed the prime ministership on 27 March following parliamentary elections on 5 March, with his party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), securing nearly a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament. The UNGA visit will be his first major multilateral engagement as head of government, coming at a moment when Nepal urgently needs to amplify its climate vulnerability on the global stage.
With the flood crisis still unfolding, the outcome of Shah's bilateral meeting with Secretary-General Guterres and any pledges of international assistance secured in New York will be closely watched back home.
Point of View
Not merely a ceremonial debut. The decision to replace the Foreign Minister with the Prime Minister as delegation head signals that Kathmandu views the August flood catastrophe as a bargaining chip in global climate negotiations — and rightly so, given Nepal's negligible contribution to emissions against its outsized exposure to glacial and monsoon hazards. What will matter is whether Shah extracts concrete financial commitments rather than sympathy statements. With the Loss and Damage Fund still underfunded and the UN climate calendar crowded, Nepal risks being one more small state with a compelling story that goes home empty-handed.
NationPress
18 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Nepal PM Balendra Shah attending the UNGA in person?
Nepal upgraded its delegation from Foreign Minister to Prime Minister level after the devastating August 26 floods, which killed 1,410 people and left 6,145 missing, to draw greater international attention to Nepal's climate crisis. It is also Shah's first foreign trip since assuming office in March.
When will Nepal PM Shah address the UN General Assembly?
Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to address the General Debate of the 81st UNGA on 24 September in New York. He departs Kathmandu on 22 September.
What caused Nepal's August 2026 floods?
Severe floods struck the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers in central Nepal on 26 August, causing widespread loss of life and infrastructure damage. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 1,410 bodies have been recovered and 6,145 people remain missing.
Who else is in Nepal's UNGA delegation?
The delegation includes Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister Kumar Byanjankar, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, and other senior government officials. Khanal leaves for New York on 20 September ahead of the Prime Minister.
What is the Rastriya Swatantra Party and how did Shah come to power?
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is Nepal's party led by Balendra Shah, which secured nearly a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives in the 5 March parliamentary elections. Shah was sworn in as Prime Minister on 27 March, and the UNGA session marks his first major multilateral engagement in that role.
