Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli left for New York leading Nepal’s delegation to the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday.

The prime minister is accompanied by his spouse Radhika Shakya; Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba; Chief Adviser to the prime minister Bishnu Prasad Rimal; Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal; and other senior government officials.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 26. This year’s general debate theme is “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations.”

Oli will also attend the opening session of the general debate on September 24 and a reception hosted by US President Joe Biden on September 25.

During his visit, the prime minister will address the Summit of the Future as chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Oli will also participate in the high-level plenary meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise and the high-level meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), among other events.

In addition to attending the UNGA activities, he is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on “Nepal’s journey to democracy and economic prosperity” at Columbia University on September 23 and speak at the John F Kennedy Jr Forum at Harvard University on “Nepal’s perspective: From transitional justice to climate justice” on September 27.

He is scheduled to meet United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and hold various bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to return home on September 30.

Meanwhile, President Ramchanda Paudel has entrusted Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh with the responsibility of overseeing the daily administrative works to be done by the prime minister in the latter’s absence.

The President assigned Deputy prime Minister Singh the duty as per the prime minister’s recommendation, the Office of the President said in a statement issued by Shailaja Regmi Bhattarai, spokesperson of the office.