KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 19

Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs of the United States Department of State Donald Lu paid a courtesy call on Minister of Foreign Affairs Narayan Khadka this afternoon.

During the meeting, discussions were held on wider areas of Nepal-US friendship and cooperation. Foreign Minister Khadka thanked the US Government for valuable medical support, including vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conversation also covered various areas of Nepal's development priorities as well as the role of trade and investment in the post-pandemic economic recovery. The two sides exchanged views on the longstanding US cooperation to Nepal, including MCC projects that could be important for the country's economic development.

The assistant secretary of state, while conveying to the foreign minister the congratulatory message from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, looked forward to working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on matters of mutual interests.

He also assured the foreign minister of the continued US support to Nepal.

Acknowledging the adverse impacts of climate change on climate vulnerable mountainous countries like Nepal, the two sides discussed effective climate action and the need for financing adaptation and mitigation measures.

The two sides discussed the dynamics of Nepal-US relations in the changed international context.

A version of this article appears in the print on November 20, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.