Unquestionably, the continued fluidity of the political situation in Nepal has enormously cost the country for long. No one can predict how far such an unwarranted situation will hover around. Under such circumstances, everything, however serious it may be, is being run without forethought and pre- planning.

To provide a glaring

example is the foreign policy of Nepal itself that is

being conducted with no clear vision and with its long term impact unforeseen.

We could provide myriad examples of foreign policy being conducted in a reactive way only, as a response to the events and programs taking place around the region and the world.

Today, the world is moving on a newer course, not visualized even some decades ago. This is happening because the global scenario is shifting from the older to the newer vista. Much pronounced non-alignment has become an amorphous and obsolete movement with the influential non-aligned countries becoming visibly multi-aligned. Meanwhile, the uni-polar world is giving place to a multi-polar one recently. No nation, however mighty it is, is not able to resolve the problem of wider dimension on its own. Self-interests of respective countries have propelled them to go their own way. Inter-connectedness and inter-dependence are on the increase. The world is becoming complex, and problems compounded.

To deal with the enormity and complexity of the issues and problems, clarity in thinking substantiated by maturity and experience is required for an effective conduct of foreign policy to restore Nepal’s worsening image abroad. Ad-hocism would not work. Visionary actions are needed to project the image of Nepal. Well thought-out planning accompanied by minutely prepared strategy must come up as a top priority if the foreign policy is to be conducted with intent to showcase Nepal’s standing with its virtuous qualities well known abroad.

To achieve success, planned approaches and actions need to be embraced looking into multiple developments emerging in the global and Asian region. Even if an ordinary school prepares annual curricular plan, why should the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lag behind in planning for Nepal’s foreign policy conduct and external role? The contextual fact is that the Foreign Ministry as an integral part of the governmental mechanism would not be able to prepare planning with its current core contents tied up to the inadequate and obsolete administrative and functioning system. The much needed Foreign Service in the modern sense does not exist at all, as does even in smaller countries of the South Asian region. Our universities do not run well-oiled courses of foreign affairs either. Added to this inanity, we do not have any name worth international strategic study center. We see vacuity everywhere on the national concern of foreign policy. As a weaker country, Nepal needs to conduct its external relations, whether be it with our immediate neighbors and other influential countries in a sensitive and strategic approach to cope with the developing intricate regional and global situation where we have to survive and live in.

Very recently, US President Barack Obama observed that the inter-connectedness of this world means that in the 21st century, “We cannot solve our problems until we solve them together”. This observation clearly conveys two important messages- first, the interconnectedness is getting too complex, and secondly, even the mighty lone super power would not be able to solve problems plaguing the world in this new millennium.

The knotty international situations demands from us both ideas and actions to prod Nepal into making its external journey smoother and easier in its efforts to regain its lost image.

However, Nepali political leaders in the thrall of the currently going zero-sum power politics have deliberately sidelined even the much needed foreign policy concerns to the remotest corner of insignificance. They are more inclined to appoint envoys and ambassadors of their own choice even without caring for

their suitability and ability. They are in a hurry to reward their own pet boys with no heed paid to the appropriate needs of the country. Will that make our foreign policy and diplomacy impressive and effective? The answer is a big “No”.

Truly, to put the foreign policy on a proper track, it is required to initiate for organizing a name worth “Think Tank” on foreign affairs of Nepal to assist and advise the foreign ministry This institution would genuinely become only trustworthy if it consists of well experienced experts of foreign policy and diplomacy aided by experts on international economy and trade as well as knowledgeable people of good standing on comprehensive security concept and terrorism.

Far better it would

be if experts on socio-anthropological studies

and climate change could also be inducted into the tank to initiate well developed ideas and well knit plans of actions on the questions of foreign policy and its concomitant diplomatic activity.

Could the concerned authorities heed this time-demanded national concern?