Former prime minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and his spouse, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, are embarking on a six day visit to Thailand on Sunday.

This is the first time the Deuba family is travelling outside the country together with their son Jaiveer Singh Deuba and daughter-in-law Shivana Shrestha who were married last year.

The foreign minister will take part in the 81st session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) that is going to be held in Bangkok from April 21 to 25 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Ekraj Pathak, press coordinator to the minister, told the Post.

Nepal currently chairs the UNESCAP. Minister Deuba will preside over the 81st session, a statement issued by her private secretariat said. She will also deliver a statement to the event.

The theme of the session is regional cooperation for sustainable urban development in the Asia-Pacific region. The Nepali delegation, led by Minister Deuba, includes officials from the foreign ministry, the National Planning Commission, and the Embassy of Nepal in Thailand.

The delegation is scheduled to return on April 25.

The ESCAP will bring together ministers from across Asia and the Pacific to exchange views on current and emerging policy issues for inclusive and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific, the ESCAP said in a statement.

Guided by the theme “Regional cooperation for resilient and sustainable urban development in Asia and the Pacific”, the session will also be an opportunity to foster inclusive urban growth and promote steadfast action for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels, said the statement.

After this session is over, Nepal will chair the ESCAP for a year. Deuba will participate in several main and side events in Bangkok, followed by some bilateral meetings with foreign ministers attending the ESCAP session from Monday to Wednesday.

The session, which concludes on Friday, will be attended by senior government officials, according to the itinerary. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will also address the session through video conferencing.

Congress chief Deuba will undergo a routine health check-up at Bumrungrad International Hospital, according to sources. Deuba, 78, has several health issues in the eyes, teeth, and abdomen and will undergo a routine examination, a Nepali Congress leader said.