Bhotekoshi flood becomes IPU emergency agenda

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 9: The devastating Bhotekoshi flood of August 26 has become an emergency motion at the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), with Nepal’s proposal to discuss the disaster securing the required two-thirds majority.

The proposal was approved at the ongoing IPU Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania, with 901 votes in favour, 78 against and 140 abstentions.

Following the approval, the proposal was discussed on Thursday. Parliamentary representatives from South Africa, India, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Timor-Leste, Myanmar, Tanzania, Nigeria and Iran, among others, expressed their views.

The remaining process, including a decision on the proposal, will continue on Friday.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Dol Prasad Aryal thanked all member countries for supporting Nepal’s proposal and participating in the discussion. He said the support reflected “shared humanity, shared responsibility and shared commitment”.

Speaker Aryal said the issue raised by Nepal was not the concern of a single country, but an important question of how parliaments can seek solutions to global challenges through dialogue, cooperation, peace and multilateralism.