Koirala, Thapa appointed Nepal envoys to Qatar, Israel

KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday appointed Ramesh Prasad Koirala and Niranjan Kumar Thapa as Nepal's ambassadors to Qatar and Israel respectively.

The appointments were made in accordance with Article 282(1) of the Constitution, according to the President's Office.

Koirala and Thapa were among 12 nominees who had faced the parliamentary hearing last month for the diplomatic appointment.

Other 10 from the list, however, are yet to be appointed.

The government on February 20 had recommended the 14 individuals to head Nepal missions in 14 nations.

Though two names from the list, Sharmila Parajuli (Oman) and Aasha Lama (United Arab Emirates), were reportedly withdrawn later after finding their involvement in agencies that outsourced Nepali workers to other countries, including Oman and UAE, and that those agencies had several charges relating to cheating and swindling poor workers; Parajuli’s name was inserted again later.

The name of Bharat Rayamajhi, recommended for Spain, however, was dropped as Nepal was yet to establish the embassy in Madrid.

Thapa is a leader of the ruling Rastriya Prajatantra Party. Koirala was recommended for the diplomatic job by another ruling party, Nepali Congress.