KATHMANDU: Secretary General of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, will be on an official visit to Nepal from January 9 to 10.

The French official is visiting Nepal at the invitation of Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shanker Das Bairagi. This is a high level visit from the French government in recent times and comes in the wake of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and France.

The two foreign secretaries will hold a bilateral meeting on January 9.

A press conference would be held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the bilateral consultation between Nepal and France, and launch of the year-long commemoration programme of the 70th anniversary of establishment of bilateral relations between the two nations.

The meeting will dwell upon all issues of mutual benefit and bilateral interest between Nepal and France, besides further deepening the ties.

April 20 marks the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between Nepal and France. Foreign Secretary Bairagi said that they would be discussing about various programmes the two countries would be organising throughout 2019 to celebrate the anniversary.

A goodwill ambassador for the 70th anniversary and a special commemorative logo along with major commemorative events in 2019 would also be presented to media during the press conference.

Secretary Bairagi had earlier met his French counterpart in Paris on November 12, 2018.