Kathmandu, Feb 9: The newly appointed United Nations Resident Coordinator for Nepal, Lila Peters Yahia, presented her credentials to Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Tuesday.

Coordinator Yahia met Prime Minister Karki at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, where she formally began her tenure following her appointment by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and approval from the Government of Nepal.

Prime Minister Karki congratulated Yahia on her new role and extended best wishes for a successful tenure in Nepal, expressing hope that her stay in the country would be pleasant. During the meeting, the Prime Minister briefed the UN official on the government’s efforts to normalize the situation following the Genji Movement of Bhadra 23 and 24 and to steer the nation back toward peace and democratic stability.

She stated that restoring peace, order and the rule of law was the government’s first priority after assuming office and noted that stability had been achieved within a short period. The Prime Minister further informed that preparations for the election—one of the government’s key mandates—had reached the final stage, and that the commission of inquiry into the incidents of Bhadra 23 and 24 had completed its work.

“We came into a very uncomfortable situation. Our first task was to restore peace, order and the rule of law, and we succeeded in doing so in a short time,” Prime Minister Karki said, adding that the government has been working cautiously to prevent further escalation of conflict and to ensure a peaceful and credible election. She also thanked the international community, including the United Nations, for its continued support, cooperation and trust.

Prime Minister Karki appreciated the UN’s long-standing partnership in Nepal’s development and humanitarian efforts and expressed confidence that UN agencies would continue to align their programs with Nepal’s national priorities and needs.

Coordinator Yahia, in turn, congratulated Prime Minister Karki on leading the election process under challenging circumstances and wished for its complete success. Calling it an honor to lead the UN team in Nepal at a critical juncture, she reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting national priorities, including youth employment, peace, inclusion and climate action.