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What is the Second World Summit for Social Development?
The Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled for 4-6 November 2025 in Doha, Qatar, is the first global gathering of Heads of State and Government on social development since the original summit held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1995.
• The summit is convened under the auspices of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) following Resolutions 78/261 and 78/318 of the United Nations General Assembly.
• The agenda: renewing global commitment to the World Summit for Social Development’s Copenhagen Declaration and its Programme of Action, accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• The summit will include plenary meetings, high-level roundtables and side events on topics such as decent work, social inclusion, poverty eradication and digital transformation in a changing world.
In short, this summit offers a global stage for Nepal to position itself in the social-policy domain and engage with international development frameworks.
Why Nepal is attending – the significance for Kathmandu
For Nepal, participation at this summit represents more than diplomatic photo-ops. The role of President Paudel has several dimensions:
- Ram Chandra Paudel is leading the Nepali delegation, and is expected to address the plenary and a high-level roundtable session on 4 November.
- The invitation comes from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al‑Thani, the Amir of Qatar, underlining the bilateral significance of the visit.
- Nepal’s participation signals its intent to be visible at major global social development forums, enhancing Kathmandu’s international diplomatic profile.
- Domestically, the themes of the summit – poverty eradication, social inclusion, decent work – align closely with Nepal’s socio-economic goals, giving the visit local relevance.
The delegation, the agenda and key bilateral talks
Delegation & timing
- According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Nepal), President Paudel will travel to Qatar on 3 November (some sources say 31 Oct for departure) and return on 6 November.
- The delegation includes the President’s spouse (Mrs Sabita Paudel), the Presidential Communications Expert Mr Kiran Kumar Pokharel, the Secretary at the Office of the President and other senior officials.
- Government approval for the visit (with a 12-member delegation) has been confirmed.
Agenda in Doha
- On 4 November, President Paudel is scheduled to speak at the Plenary and High-Level Roundtable sessions of the summit.
- Bilateral meeting with the Qatari Amir to discuss strengthening Nepal-Qatar cooperation in multiple areas.
- On the sidelines of the summit: meetings with other world leaders and heads of multilateral organisations attending the event.
What Nepal might emphasise
- Labour migration and workers’ rights (given Nepal’s large workforce abroad)
- Social protection and inclusion of marginalised groups
- Sustainable development as per the 2030 Agenda and linkages with Nepal’s national plans
- Enhancing South-South cooperation and Qatar-Nepal ties in investment, infrastructure and human development
Five things to watch: What Nepal hopes to gain
Here are five key outcomes to monitor from this visit:
1. A stronger Nepal-Qatar partnership
With the bilateral meeting with the Qatari Amir, Nepal hopes to deepen cooperation in labour-mobility, foreign employment, investment and infrastructure. The visit puts Nepal in a favourable position to advance its interests vis-à-vis a Gulf country that hosts large numbers of Nepali workers.
2. Enhanced visibility on the global social-development stage
By addressing the summit at head-of-state level, Nepal gets a voice at a major global event focused on social issues. Visibility could translate into stronger credibility for Kathmandu in future multilateral negotiations.
3. Commitment toward social-policy agendas in Nepal
The summit’s themes – decent work, social inclusion, poverty eradication – directly tie into Nepal’s own development priorities. Nepal might announce or reaffirm domestic initiatives in those areas, aligning national policy with global frameworks.
4. Networking with world leaders and institutions
On the sidelines of the summit, President Paudel will meet counterparts and UN-system leaders. These interactions can open doors for technical cooperation, funding and partnerships for Nepal’s development agenda.
5. Second World Summit for Social Development in discourse
By actively participating in the Second World Summit for Social Development, Nepal positions itself in future discourse of global social policy. This can help Kathmandu craft its narratives around social justice, labour rights and inclusive growth.
How this fits into Nepal’s foreign-policy & domestic agenda
Foreign-policy angle
- Hosting and attending multilateral summits is part of Nepal’s strategy to diversify diplomatic engagement beyond traditional neighbours.
- Nepal’s engagement in Doha reflects its willingness to engage in global governance on social issues, not just economic or security dimensions.
- The visit underscores Nepal’s interest in Gulf relations—labour mobility, investment flows and bilateral ties with Qatar.
Domestic development relevance
- Nepal’s national development plans emphasise the need for inclusive growth, strengthening social protection floors, and improving livelihoods ― all themes at the summit.
- The summit emphasis on “no one left behind” resonates with Nepal’s federal, provincial and local strategies for social inclusion.
- Labour market issues: with large numbers of Nepalese abroad, the decent-work agenda is directly relevant for Nepal. The summit may provide impetus for Nepal to push workers’ rights in foreign employment contexts.
Messaging and media
Given your role at QuikNepal, this story offers rich angles for engagement:
- Emphasise Nepal’s voice in global social development, not just as a participant but as a contributor.
- Highlight how the summit’s outcomes may affect Nepali citizens (e.g., labour rights, social inclusion, foreign employment).
- Use quotes from UN DESA, ILO and regional sources to bolster credibility. For example, ILO emphasises “decent work and inclusion” at the summit.
- Tie the visit back home: how will this translate to Nepal’s policy or citizen impact?
Final thoughts
President Ram Chandra Paudel’s upcoming visit to Doha for the Second World Summit for Social Development is timely and significant. It places Nepal firmly on the map of global social-policy engagement and brings domestic credibility to the international agenda of inclusion, decent work and poverty eradication. For QuikNepal readers, the story is not only about travel or diplomacy—it’s about how global forums intersect with Nepali livelihoods, development and diplomacy.
As the summit unfolds from 4-6 November, tracking Nepal’s statements, bilateral outcomes and domestic follow-through will be key to understanding the real impact of this high-profile visit.
