KATHMANDU, MAY 6
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has issued a circular to all the local levels, requesting them not to initiate the process of foreign trips of their office-bearers and employees unless it is extremely necessary.
The MoFAGA also reminded the local units about the March 15 decision of the Council of Ministers barring ministers and other officials from foreign trip. The decision is aimed at cutting government's expenditure amidst the economic crisis in the country. In this backdrop, the local levels have been told to restrict the wilful foreign trips of their office-bearers and employees.
The circular follows the tendency of making foreign trips at the invitation of individuals, going abroad for programmes organised and sponsored by non-governmental organisations, and embarking on trips for programmes outside the jurisdiction of office-bearers and employees.
The MoFAGA has directed the local levels not to approve foreign visits of any office-bearer or employee who receive invitation at the individual level.
According to the MoFAGA, the local levels should not nominate any office-bearer and employee for his/her visit to a foreign country to participate in a programme organised by local NGOs of the country concerned. However, approval may be granted to participate in a programme sponsored by countries with which Nepal has established diplomatic relations, international organisations/institutions to which Nepal is a member, United Nations and international NGOs working under UN agencies.
Likewise, the local levels have been directed to verify the authenticity of invitation of foreign organisations before nominating office-bearers and employees for foreign visit. It also requires the provincial offices to obtain consent of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for approval of the visit.
According to the foreign visit procedure implemented by the federal government, if any local level or province receives a formal invitation from a host country or agency for participation in a training and exposure visit, all expenses will have to be borne by the concerned foreign country, donor agency, or international organisation.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 7, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
