Nepal’s PM Oli Calls for Revitalized Multilateralism at SCO Plus Summit in Tianjin

Kathmandu: Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has urged the international community to embrace a revitalized multilateralism to address global challenges, while reiterating Nepal’s aspiration to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Speaking at the SCO Plus Summit in Tianjin on September 1, Prime Minister Oli underscored the urgency of strengthening global governance to tackle widening inequalities, climate change, conflicts, and emerging threats such as cyber-attacks and pandemics.

“In such a world, no nation can stand secure in isolation. No people can prosper in fragmentation. This is why multilateralism is an imperative of our time,” Oli said, cautioning that the current system has often failed to deliver on its promises, eroding trust among nations.

He expressed support for China’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI), noting that it could help build a more just, inclusive and equitable multilateral system with the United Nations at its core. Oli also stressed the importance of a revitalized SCO that is more united, more integrated, and more resilient in facing geopolitical, economic, and ecological shocks.

Highlighting Nepal’s status as an SCO dialogue partner since 2016, Oli added, “Nepal looks forward to getting admitted as a full member,” reaffirming the country’s strong commitment to regional cooperation.

Prime Minister Oli warned of threats that transcend borders. He pointed out that the Himalayas, which act as a global climate stabilizer, are losing snow reserves, putting billions of people downstream at risk. “We cannot speak of peace without addressing regional security. Terrorism robs societies of safety and opportunities. Climate change multiplies risk,” he stated.

Oli proposed three major shifts for the region and the world: from isolation to connectivity, through stronger physical, digital, and socio-cultural ties, from confrontations to consultations, by nurturing dialogue and diplomacy in line with the Shanghai Spirit, and from competition to cooperation, promoting partnerships instead of partitions for a just and resilient global order. PM Oli also stressed that with just five years remaining to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), urgent collective action is needed.

Oli reaffirmed Nepal’s support for “a rules-based, inclusive multilateral system for a sustainable future” and called on SCO members to strengthen friendships, partnerships, and good neighbourly relations. “A resilient and prosperous SCO region is within our reach when we are committed to act together,” the Prime Minister said.