‘Nepal’s foreign relations witness robust growth’

Kathmandu, August 27

The country’s external relations witnessed a robust growth in multiple sectors with important initiatives taken and notable achievements made in the past one year, states the annual report released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this week.

Report on Nepal’s Foreign Affairs (2018-2019), covers major activities carried out and their outcomes on foreign policy front in the past one year. According to the report, protection and promotion of national interest remained at the core of the conduct of

Nepal’s foreign relations. Nepal’s relations with the outside world were based on the principles of sovereign equality, independence, mutual respect and benefit.

“UN Charter, non-alignment, Panchasheel, international law, and norms of world peace remained the basis of our foreign policy.

The country pursued an independent and balanced foreign policy and conducted its external dealings guided by fairness, merit and justice,” read the report. The report stated that socio-economic transformation was placed at the centre of Nepal’s engagements at bilateral, regional and multilateral arena in line with the national aspiration of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’’.

A host of programmes and activities were carried out for promotion of Nepal’s image as a nature’s paradise, a melting pot of civilisations, a nation with rich culture, an attractive destination for foreign investment, an entrepôt between two big economies with over two and a half billion population, and an inclusive society underpinned by equality and justice.

“The very premise of amity with all and enmity with none, served well to fulfil our foreign policy objectives.

The neighbourhood received top priority in our external relations. We made substantial effort to enhance our relations with immediate neighbours, India and China. Our engagements with the countries in the extended neighbourhood continued to grow, both at bilateral and regional levels,” read the report, adding Nepal’s role in the multilateral platforms also got accentuated in many key areas such as international peace and security, disarmament, human rights, SDGs, climate change and migration.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 28, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.