‘Nepali ambassadors’ main focus should be on economic diplomacy’

Kathmandu, December 7

Former career diplomats have said that an ambassador should mainly focus on economic diplomacy.

Speaking at the Parliamentary Hearing Committee today, former ambassadors Pushkar Man Singh Rajbhandari, Prahlad Kumar Prasai, Rudra Kumar Nepal and Niranjan Man Singh Basnyat said an ambassador should know his country well and love his nation.

The PHC had called former career diplomats two days before the confirmation hearing of four ambassadorial nominees. The government recently nominated Nilambar Acharya

as ambassador to India, Uday Raj Pandey as ambassador to Malaysia, Krishna Dhakal as ambassador to United Arab Emirates and Anjan Shakya as ambassador to Israel.

President of Association of Former Career Ambassadors of Nepal and former ambassador to Pakistan Rajbhandari said Nepali ambassadors should focus on economic diplomacy.

Former ambassador to Israel Prasai said that a country like Nepal could focus on soft diplomacy. “Nepal is a country which doesn’t have economic power and military might,” he said, adding that the country should use soft power.

He also said that the ambassador should focus on trade, tourism and agriculture. “They should be aware of the language, history and culture of host countries,” he said. Former ambassador  Nepal said that an ambassador should work in accordance with the terms and conditions set  by the government.

Rajbhandari and Prasai said that there should not be any age bar for ambassadors.