Impressioned by the Opposition’s Role in Parliament, Minister Gautam Said: ‘This Is the Kind of Parliament I Wanted to See’

Kathmandu. Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Sobita Gautam, has openly praised the parliamentary role played by the lawmakers of the main opposition party in the House of Representatives. She expressed that she was deeply impressed by the opposition's approach of rising above partisan interests, delving into the depths of issues, and engaging in constructive debate.

Sharing her views via social media, Minister Gautam stated, “The past two days of the House of Representatives meetings have truly impressed me, particularly the parliamentary role played by the Honorable members of the opposition. They asked questions, argued with depth on the subject, offered differing perspectives and suggestions, and openly supported the matter when they found it appropriate. This is the kind of Parliament I wanted to see—one where both the government and the opposition can debate by rising above party lines.”

She made these remarks in the context of the House of Representatives unanimously passing the agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (BBNJ Agreement).

Highlighting that despite being a landlocked country, Nepal has a direct stake in ocean conservation, she said, “Our country has no sea, but we have rivers that flow into the ocean. The journey of water that begins in our Himalayas ultimately ends in the sea. The ocean is not within our borders, but the future of our Himalayas is connected to the health of the ocean. Therefore, Nepal’s participation in global efforts to protect the oceans is a responsibility toward our shared future.”

Explaining that becoming a state party to the treaty will grant Nepal significant access to marine research, technology transfer, and benefit-sharing of resources, she added, “After becoming a party to the BBNJ Agreement, Nepal will gain access to knowledge, skills, technology, and international research collaboration in the fields of marine scientific research, capacity building, and marine technology transfer. Additionally, Nepal’s participation in the sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources beyond national jurisdiction will be ensured.”

Minister Gautam also clarified that following the ratification of the agreement, Nepal will need to draft necessary national laws regarding marine biodiversity conservation, genetic resources, biosafety, and technology transfer.