Nepali American Sonam Lama Elected President of UNDO to Support Country of Origin

Nepali American entrepreneur and social activist Sonam Lama has been elected to lead The United Nepali Diaspora Organization (UNDO), an organization supporting the country of origin. UNDO, representing Nepalis living abroad, successfully held its first international general convention in Kathmandu on December 28-29. The convention elected a new executive committee, chaired by Lama, to serve for the next three years.

The 29-member committee will include five women and five men as central members, with additional appointments to vacant positions by the newly elected leadership.

UNDO was established in Kathmandu in March 2022 after consultations with legal experts. However, the registration process faced delays as the organization awaited approval from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Finally, on July 30, 2023, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered the ministry to register UNDO, formally establishing it.

UNDO differs from the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA). While NRNA operates under specific legal provisions, UNDO was founded under the leadership of former NRNA Vice President Sonam Lama. UNDO aims to engage diaspora Nepalis and individuals of Nepali origin who have lived outside SAARC countries for more than two years.

“UNDO is committed to driving initiatives that promote Nepal’s sustainable socio-economic development,” President Lama said. “We aim to work closely with policymakers, influential business leaders, and stakeholders to identify and implement projects that benefit the Nepali community.”

As per the organization’s constitution, an international general convention will be held every three years in Nepal with physical attendance. The recently concluded convention not only selected leadership for the 2024-2027 term but also approved short-term and long-term plans for the organization’s future endeavors.

Themed “Diaspora Engagement for Sustainable Nepal,” the convention attracted around 70 representatives from various nations. Discussions focused on critical issues such as climate change, migration, infrastructure, and policy partnerships.

“Diasporas contribute to the human, social, and cultural enrichment of their countries of origin, transit, and destination by building bridges and fostering mutual understanding among different cultures and can play an important role in the economic development of their countries of origin. Diaspora organizations play an important role when it comes to bringing together, advocating for, and implementing change for diaspora members and their communities, building bridges between societies and creating transnational communities of mutual development beneficial to both the host and countries of origin,” the UNDO website reads.

“The UNDO represents the interests, concerns, and commitments of all Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) and aspires to offer their knowledge, skills, and resources and involve them in the socio-economic development of Nepal and the Nepalese people by amalgamating a large Nepali diaspora base for a common purpose by harnessing the resources, both human and economic, the Nepali diaspora is able to provide collectively and individually toward Nepal’s development,” according to the UNDO official website.