Shisir Khanal says Nepal should become Asia’s economic, digital and strategic bridge

New York, USA, September 25, 2026 — Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has said Nepal should turn its geographic position into an opportunity and develop itself as an economic, digital and strategic bridge in Asia amid the region’s growing economic and strategic influence.

Addressing a programme organised by the Asia Society in New York on Friday titled “Steering Nepal’s Future in Asia’s Rising Century”, Khanal said Nepal should not regard its geography as a limitation on its national aspirations.

According to the foreign minister’s private secretariat, Khanal called for changing the traditional perception of Nepal as a “small country” and said the country occupies a strategically important position.

“Nepal is not small. Nepal is strategically well-positioned,” Khanal said. “The size of our neighbours is a geographic reality, but it should never become the limit of our ambition.”

Khanal compared Nepal’s geography and population with those of other countries and argued that Nepal should not be understood solely through the lens of its size.

Referring to the recent floods, the foreign minister described the disaster as a “Himalayan tsunami”.

“Nepal has long faced natural disasters, difficult geography and structural challenges,” he said.

Khanal said the latest disaster had sent a clear message that climate change should be treated as a strategic priority of Nepal’s foreign policy.

He identified effective early-warning systems, the exchange of water-related data, predictable grant-based climate finance and practical cooperation with neighbouring countries and the international community as areas that should receive priority.

Khanal described Asia’s rise as an important opportunity for Nepal, noting that around 60 percent of the world’s population lives in Asia and that the region makes a major contribution to the global economy.