Minister Dr Rana meets Qatari, UAE ministers at Indian Ocean Conference

February 16, Kathmandu: On the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference 2025 in Oman’s Muscat, Nepal’s delegation, led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Arzu Rana Deuba held bilateral meetings with high-ranking officials from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Foreign Affairs Minister met with Sultan bin Saad bin Sultan Al Muraikhi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, to discuss matters related to Nepal-Qatar relations. The talks focused on enhancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including the demand for skilled Nepali technical workers in Qatar and expanding scholarship opportunities for Nepali students in Qatari institutions.

A key highlight of the meeting was the discussion on the case of Bipin Joshi, who has been held captive by Hamas since October 7, 2023. The Nepali delegation emphasized the urgency of securing Joshi’s safe release and expressed hope for a positive resolution soon. The Qatari side assured continued cooperation in addressing the matter, given Qatar’s active role in mediating regional conflicts.

In a separate meeting with Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the two sides exchanged views on growing Nepal-UAE relations. Discussions centred on enhancing cooperation in labour, trade, and tourism sectors. The Nepali delegation also proposed establishing direct air connectivity between Pokhara, a major tourist hub in Nepal, and Dubai, a global tourism and business centre, to boost tourism exchanges and facilitate easier travel for Nepali workers and visitors to the UAE.