Kathmandu, October 24

Newly-appointed German Ambassador to Nepal Roland Schaefer has said Germany wants to be respectful and learning partners with Nepal.

Stating that his country had its agenda and values and interests in Nepal, Ambassador Schaefer said he would pursue these interests in a very careful manner. “One of the principles that I would like to pursue as an ambassador is to explain openly what our interests are and to listen,” he said at an interaction with journalists at his residence here today. He also said that Germany wanted Nepal to be successful and that it was ready to extend any help needed.

Ambassador Schaefer lauded the ‘amazing and successful’ peace process of Nepal, where a rebel organisation transformed into a political party and is competing for the elections that would ‘transform the country’.

Stating that the peace process is an ongoing process and is yet to complete, he said: “I want to position Germany as a privileged, respectful, and forward-looking interlocutor on all issues pertaining to the peace process about past and the future.”

Ambassador Schaefer also said that the peace process and business had to be done simultaneously, and that Nepal should work to create business environment.

The big agenda of the new Nepali government should be how to make democracy work and how to make environment for business, he said, expressing commitment that Germany would continue its cooperation in areas such as medicine, health insurance, energy and renewables, and small and medium-sized businesses.

Stating that he was privileged to be sent to a country which has ‘this unique capacity to create enthusiasm, and create friendship’, Ambassador Schaefer said he would work to boost people-to-people contact.

“I want more people to go to Germany and want more Germans to be able to travel,” he said, adding that he would work to make the visa section at the embassy more performing.