Mr. Chairperson,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to be here among you in this session. This meeting, I believe, would be able to move one step ahead towards comforting the world from poverty--the most challenging problem the world facing today. May I take this opportunity to convey the voice and aspirations of the people who I represent and who are known as among the poorest in the world.

In today's world, we face a stark reality where two extremes exist. On one side, we see a world with an unmatched capacity and achievements in human history and, on the other side, we have the world where people still struggling for their bare subsistence. I am of the view that the greatest challenge we are facing today is the problem of enhancing the living conditions of the most deprived and impoverished.

Nepal is a country facing the problem in its most intense form. We have a challenge to uplift a great majority of the people to the life of dignity-the life that makes them feel that they are a part of this dignified world. All of our efforts in economic and social fronts are directed towards solving these problems. However, our attempts to this regard are hampered by several factors. On one hand, we have a lack of infrastructures coupled with geographical hardships, and, on the other hand, in recent years, we are facing obstacles from the terrorist activities of the Maoists.

I believe and you may also agree that a country's individual efforts to this regard would be insufficient, though they would count as very significant. It is really our advantage that we have organizations like IFAD offering support to the endeavors we have been making. IFAD's contributions to this regard are important for Nepal. Since its inception, IFAD has made valuable contributions in providing necessary help to the poor. At the same time, we should not forget that the need for cooperation and its scope are even more important and broader at present as well as in the days ahead.

May I also take this opportunity to remind you about the Nepal Development Forum (NDF) meeting where we had a broad discussion on relieving the country from poverty. We are very thankful to our development partners for what they have offered to help us. In the Forum, we have framed a broad vision and expressed our commitments to bring the fruits of development to the poorest. Our agendas for poverty alleviation are addressed in our current development plan and the forthcoming Tenth Plan will make them more strategic and focused.

Before I conclude, I would like to reassure Nepal's full commitment to collaborate with IFAD with our own capacity and potential.

I would, on behalf of my delegation, like to offer the endorsement to the proposed plan of action and budget of IFAD for the forthcoming year.

Best wishes for the grand success of this session.

Thank you.