Inaugural remarks by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala at the Regional Conference on Cooperative Development, Peace and Security in South Asia on February 16, 2014 in Kathmandu.

Friends,
I am pleased to have this opportunity to address this Regional
Conference on “Cooperative Development, Peace and Security
in South Asia” organized jointly by the Centre for South Asian
Studies, Kathmandu and the Centre for Research in Rural and
Industrial Development, Chandigarh, India.
I congratulate the organizers for holding this important
event in Kathmandu. I am happy to be in the midst of the
company of many learned personalities and brightest minds
from our region. I hope the conference deliberations will help
explore avenues of partnerships for cooperative peace and
development in South Asia.
South Asia is a vast reservoir of diverse human and natural
resources. It is a seat of culture and civilization. We have
tremendous economic and social potentials for growth and
prosperity of the whole region. Nevertheless, our region is
languishing in pervasive poverty. Our people are deprived of
decent life, a life of dignity.
Scope and level of existing regional cooperation in South Asia
do not match its potentials. We must find ways and means
for furthering cooperation in our region. We need to expand
exchanges to enhance unity, deepen pragmatic cooperation,
by promoting culture of tolerance and respect among
individuals, societies, and nations.

The virtues of peace, development, and security are
mutually reinforcing. There is no development without
peace and security. Peace and security flourish with good
neighborliness, friendship, dialogue, cooperation and
mutually beneficial development.

Nepal sits on vast natural resources. Any resource remaining
unutilized for common benefit is no resource. We need to
move ahead and put common efforts for the utilization and
management of natural resources. We need to overcome
the challenge of energy security in the region through joint
initiatives and activities.
It is equally necessary to enhance economic cooperation, and
regional integration through vigorous regional trade and
development, removal of barriers to trade and investment,gh
and promotion of investment activity for deeper economic
integration.
Our region has young and talented population. People are our
biggest source for development. Development is possible only
through enhanced investments in our people and unleash
their creative energy. The low level of human development
puts our region as the most deprived region. This demands
enhanced investments in education and health in a consistent
manner.
It is my firm belief that only with people at the center
of development process, development will become
equitable, inclusive and sustainable, which in turn
will create synergy for durable peace and stability.
One of the biggest challenges of our time is the growing
exodus of our people in search of better opportunities beyond
borders. This has created a set of multidimensional challenges
including the social decay of our societies. We need to seriously
and urgently work to promote human development, rapid
economic growth and provide productive employment based
on social equity. It is my firm belief that only with people at
the center of development process, development will become
equitable, inclusive and sustainable, which in turn will create
synergy for durable peace and stability.
Transnational challenges including environmental
degradation, terrorism and trafficking in person or narcotic
drug are constantly staring at us. Climate change has emerged
as the defining issue of our time. Whether it is the melting of
Himalayan glaciers or rising of sea levels, or other associated
issues, their emergence is real in our life. We need cooperative
approaches to deal with contemporary security challenges
emanating from them, and enhance cooperation to promote
adaptation to climate change and improve management of
natural disasters.
South Asia has been the worst sufferer of terrorism. It is the
biggest threat and huge obstacle to cooperative development,
peace and security. Nepal strongly condemns terrorism in all
its forms and manifestations in whatever form it may occur.
We have a shared destiny and our fate is interwoven. South
Asia needs to come together to claim a place of pride and
honour in the international sphere that is commensurate with
its potentials. Regional stability and economic prosperity
should go hand in hand.
The cooperative framework of SAARC can significantly
contribute social development, economic progress and
environmental protection and promote peace, security and
development in the South Asian region. Our region has
already accumulated huge costs of non-cooperation. SAARC
should be made more relevant to the life of common people.
Consistent with the realities of our time and ever growing
aspirations of our peoples, we have no option but to collaborate
actively to achieve peace, development, and security. As we
struggle to institutionalize democratic achievements, build,
and sustain democratic institutions, we need to focus on
inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and human prosperity.
It is encouraging to note that South Asia has become more
democratized in recent years. India as the largest democracy
of the world provides a shining example and inspiration to
all democrats. It is our firm belief that democracy provides a
framework to address the irreconcilable challenges peacefully
we face in the region.
Friends,
Let me take this distinguished audience to our own situation.
Nepal is making a democratic transition after over a decade
long armed conflict. Though our transition has been
relatively longer than anticipated, we have made several
important achievements in the peace process since its start
in 2006. It has been a long-cherished desire of the people of
Nepal to write a constitution for the country through the
Constituent Assembly (CA). The November polls reinforced
that determination. The newly elected Constituent Assembly
has already commenced its business and all major political
parties have a common commitment to deliver a democratic
constitution within a year. My government will do everything
possible to facilitate the work of the Constituent Assembly.
Our primary focus is on neighbouring countries.
This government is committed to collaborate with all political
forces within and outside the Constituent Assembly in the
larger national interests and welfare of the people. We must
respect the verdicts and aspirations of the Nepali people as
expressed in the recently concluded CA elections. We want
to consolidate and institutionalize democratic system of
governance in line with universally accepted principles of
human rights, democracy, rule of law, and good governance.
Our aim is to build a peaceful, stable, democratic, and
prosperous country where every citizen lives in dignity and
honour and without any discrimination.
We are convinced that political transformation cannot be
achieved in the absence of socio-economic transformation.
We need a long-term vision to transform Nepal’s development
landscape. This government will seriously work towards
creating an investment-friendly environment through
necessary policy reforms.
Our primary focus is on neighbouring countries. This
Government will further consolidate bilateral relations with
neighbors and other friendly countries. We believe that only
a peaceful, stable and democratic Nepal benefits from the
emerging world order and widen economic opportunities in
our neighbourhood.
Friends,
I am fully convinced that the exchange of views among eminent
personalities and presentation of scholarly papers here would
help generate concrete ideas and useful thoughts. We are
happy that the conference is being held at such an opportune
time when the next SAARC Summit is due in Nepal and the
SAARC Ministerial Meeting is taking place next week in the
Maldives. I am confident that the conference will contribute
towards a workable model of partnership for the objective of
cooperative development, peace, and security in South Asia.
Before closing, on a personal note, I would like to say that I
feel truly honoured to have the presence of Dr. Karan Singh
on this occasion. I have three reasons for being so. First,
Dr. Singh is not only a seasoned statesman in the Indian
politics, but his contribution in the academic field as well as
in developing cultural harmony has been well recognized in
India and beyond. Second, he has been a close friend of Nepal
for long time and his personal initiatives in Nepal’s peace
process have remained valuable. Third, it is my great pleasure
to have a long time distinguished friend in Kathmandu. I
really admire his commitment towards promoting common
understanding in our region.
With these few words, I declare the conference open and wish
it a success.
Thank you!
Jai Nepal