KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 24

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has pledged to establish the Consulate General of Nepal in California, soon.

Currently in New York for the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, he made this commitment in response to requests from various organizations within the Nepali community.

Approximately 100,000 Nepalis reside in California, and organizations such as the Nepali Public Relations Committee and the Nepali Association of Northern California have advocated for a consulate office in San Francisco. They noted that accessing services from the existing consulates in New York or Washington, D.C., has been inconvenient, particularly for passport renewals. The establishment of a consulate general would significantly alleviate these challenges.

PM Oli expressed his support for this demand, assuring that the government would act swiftly on the matter. 'We have already planned to open a Consulate General of Nepal in California soon,' he stated. He also highlighted that California, as a hub of science and technology, particularly Silicon Valley, offers numerous opportunities for Nepal and its citizens.

The Nepali community organizations also called upon Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba to address this issue and invited her to visit California. Representatives of the Nepali diaspora expressed their willingness to contribute to the country's prosperity and development.

During the discussions, they raised the issue of dual citizenship and the need for constitutional amendments. PM Oli expressed concern over disputes within the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) and emphasized that once a Nepali, always a Nepali. He suggested that provisions could be made to nullify foreign citizenship for those wishing to exercise political rights in Nepal.

In response to inquiries about political matters, PM Oli assured that there would be no amendments to the constitution regarding democratic values, federalism, or the protection of the republican system and sovereignty. He indicated that constitutional amendments would require consensus among political parties.

Meanwhile, representatives from various Nepali community organizations also urged PM Oli to open a consulate general office in Texas. Additionally, Nepali community representatives based in Canada requested his support in establishing a Canadian Embassy in Nepal.