KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 20
Nepal has inaugurated the Chancery of its Embassy in Portugal, marking a significant milestone in bilateral relations between the two countries.
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal Ana Isabel Xavier jointly inaugurated the Chancery of the Embassy of Nepal, Lisbon amid a special ceremony in Lisbon on Thursday.
On the occasion, Foreign Secretary Rai expressed gratitude to the Government of Portugal for its support in the establishment of the Embassy and voiced confidence that the mission would serve as a bridge to further strengthen diplomatic, economic and people-to-people ties. Dr. Xavier welcomed the opening of Nepal's Embassy and assured continued support from the Portuguese government for its smooth functioning.
The ceremony was attended by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Andres Carrascosa Coso, along with senior Portuguese officials, members of the diplomatic community and media representatives. Nepal's Ambassador to Portugal Prakash Mani Paudel welcomed the guests and thanked the host government for its cooperation.
Later in the evening, the Embassy organised a programme to mark Nepal's 76th Democracy Day in the presence of representatives from Nepali community organisations in Portugal. Addressing the gathering, Foreign Secretary Rai highlighted the significance of Democracy Day and underscored the importance of unity among the Nepali diaspora.
The Embassy also held an interaction with community members, during which participants raised concerns related to consular services and the promotion of trade, tourism and investment between Nepal and Portugal. The Foreign Secretary assured them of necessary support from the Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On the same occasion, certificates and prizes were distributed to winners of an essay competition organised by the Embassy on the theme "Roles and opportunities of the Nepali communities in Portugal in the Economic Development of Nepal."
Foreign Secretary Rai arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday leading a Nepali delegation to co-chair the first meeting of the Nepal–Portugal Bilateral Consultation Mechanism scheduled for Friday.
