Sagarmatha Sambad (Mt Everest Dialogue) started on May 16 and concluded on May 18 as per the schedule. This is the first international conclave organized by Nepal to draw international attention to climate change, global warming and its adverse impact on nature and humanity. Climate change and global warming are serious global issues but Nepal failed to bring attention to the big powerful nations contributing to global warming. Nepal had wished for the presence of prime ministers and foreign ministers from India and China. They didn’t attend. Nepal had expected representation of the head of the government from the Himalayan region, i.e. Bhutan and Pakistan, as their Himalayas have also become the victim of global warming. Accordingly, Nepal had expected a head of the state level representation from Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bangladesh, where the sea level is continuously inclining due to global warming. Such a level of participation could not take place. Nepal had wished for the attendance of the UN General Secretary but he didn’t come.

From China, the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Congress attended the event, who is the highest-ranking leader in the conclave. From India, the Union Forest Minister attended the event, whereas, from Japan, the Vice Foreign Minister attended.

The conclave has reflected Nepal’s poor diplomacy and declining international image of the country. Nevertheless, organizing such a conclave to draw global attention to climate change was a good beginning. Nepal should take a lesson from the past prestige of the nation in the global arena. Nepal should develop a permanent foreign policy through a consensus among all the political parties and the government should not intervene in the country’s foreign policy. Similarly, a capable personality based on meritocracy should be appointed the ambassador to abroad missions. Presently, the ambassadors are assigned based on Bhagbanda among the parties in the government and priority has been given to those relatives of the supreme leaders or those who pay commission in advance. Presently, the price for the post of an ambassador is 60 million rupees. Such games have to be ended.