Economic diplomacy on top priority: Foreign Ministry

Kathmandu, July 24: The government has prepared country specific strategies with 20 countries so far to intensify economic diplomacy.

Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lok Bahadur Paudel Chhetri, said coordination has been established with concerned bodies by prioritizing economic diplomacy. 

Chhetri shared that focal points will be announced in all Nepal’s diplomatic missions abroad to ensure effective economic diplomacy.

At the Ministry on Friday, Spokesperson Chhetri stated that the Ministry was making amendments to the Guidelines on Economic Diplomacy Programmes, 2071 BS, making it contextual.

Sharing the major accomplishments of the past two weeks of the Ministry, Spokesperson Chhetri shared that the Third Meeting of Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between Nepal-Australia was held today in Kathmandu. 

The meeting attended by Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and the First Assistant Secretary of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Sarah Storey was focused on further strengthening the bilateral relations.  

Likewise, Spokesperson Chhetri added that Nepal was closely observing the recent situation in the West Asia and Nepal’s position towards peace and stability in the region is unchanged, adding that the issues there should be resolved through talks and diplomacy.  

Similarly, he stated that the situation of Nepalis in the West Asia is normal and no information on Nepali being impacted in the recent times was received. 

He said the Ministry has hoped that there will be trade facilitation with the operation of Kolkata-Biratnagar Railway Cargo Transport Service since July 17. 

The Ministry’s Spokesperson shared that 860 Nepalis were rescued from different online scamming centres of the Southeast Asia.

Furthermore, the Ministry’s Spokesperson stated that Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal held a virtual meeting with the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence Dan Jarvis MBE MP on July 14 and discussed the unresolved longstanding grievances of the British Gurkhas.

Minister Khanal requested the British Government to address the demands of the British Gurkhas, while the British Defence Secretary Jarvis committed to resolving this issue, Spokesperson Chhetri shared.