South Asian News Network

Kathmandu, July 2: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)-led government formed under the premiership of Balendra Shah is nearing its 100 days since its formation on March 27. Since its formation, this government has prioritized the policy of maintaining Nepal’s balanced relations with neighbours, bolstering economic diplomacy and multilateral cooperation. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal spoke to Chief of RSS Feature and Interview Section Krishna Adhikari on Nepal’s foreign policy, new government’s diplomatic priorities and other related issues stating that the government has adopted its foreign policy on the basis of Nepal’s constitution, international commitment, RSP’s election commitment paper and the government’s priorities stated in 100-point commitment made immediately after the formation of this government. Minister Khanal said our priorities are focused on protection and promotion of our national interests. “Increasing effectiveness of Nepal’s embassies and diplomatic missions abroad; ensuring safety of Nepali migrant workers abroad and bringing about reforms to consular services; developing a special mechanism to receive investment from Nepali diaspora; attracting foreign investment by activating economic diplomacy; institutionalizing high-level dialogues with development partners and neighbouring countries; mapping, utilizing and managing skills, knowledge, network and investment capacity of Nepali diaspora and building national pride of the country and promoting national image through effective mobilization of the country’s soft powers are included in our priorities,” Minister Khanal added. Likewise, Minister Khanal stated that the current government expects to maintain friendly ties with the neighbouring countries including all friendly countries and development partners by keeping the national interests at the centre. Our efforts will be to advance diplomatic dialogue in a new approach by focusing national interests and maintain balanced relations with two immediate neighbouring countries India and China, he stated. On major diplomatic achievements after the formation of this government, Minister Khanal said, “A clear message on the new government’s foreign policy has reached neighboring and international levels. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working as the “First Line of Defense” in safeguarding national interests. We have prioritized promoting high-level visits and cooperation, making meetings of bilateral mechanisms regular and active, making economic and public diplomacy effective, operating the ‘MoFA Mitra’ online app to simplify and facilitate consular services, making foreign employment safe, secured and dignified while ensuring the security, rights and welfare of Nepali citizens abroad and providing supports, rescue and repatriation of dead bodies in case of deaths abroad. For this, strengthening and ensuring effectiveness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our diplomacy remains a priority.” “I believe that the visits to India and China that happened in a short time after the formation of this government made vital contributions to further strengthening the friendly and multidimensional bilateral relations,” according to the Foreign Minister. During the visits, productive discussions took place on expanding cooperation in various areas including infrastructure, connectivity, border management, energy, trade, investment, agriculture, technology transfer, information technology and digitalization, tourism, chemical fertilizers, petroleum and natural gas exploration and people-to-people relations, he elaborated. Minister Khanal added that important works have been carried out on strengthening Nepal’s diplomatic missions abroad, preparing a country-specific strategy with focus on economic diplomacy and holding inter-ministerial coordination meetings to chart our negotiation-focused strategies and priorities. Likewise, he said that the government has introduced new programmes including International Wellness Day, the establishment and operation of the Nepal Diaspora Global Network and Lumbini Fellowship for the promotion of Nepal’s soft powers. Regarding his recent India visit, Minister Khanal shared this was the first high-level foreign visit after the formation of the new government and there were considerable interests both within the country and abroad. “The relationship between Nepal and India is not merely based on relations between two governments, but on an open border, cultural affinity and people-to-people ties,” he said adding that both sides have reaffirmed their commitment to managing ups and downs through dialogue on the issues raised in the recent years due to border disputes and political misunderstandings. He said that both sides have expressed commitment to advancing the traditional friendly ties between the two countries with renew energy. “At present, the bilateral mechanisms between the two countries have become active and regular. Work is being carried out with economic cooperation at the center. Therefore, this visit can be considered a special one,” Minister Khanal argued. Similarly, Minister Khanal said that his recent China visit was happened to further strengthen our ties with neighbouring country China. Such visits have contributed to further strengthen our bilateral relations, expand economic cooperation and mutual trust, understanding and people to people relations, adding that crucial discussions and understandings have been made to this end, according to Minister Khanal. On Nepal’s upcoming foreign policy, Minister Khanal said that the world politics is currently entering a new phase of sharp competition and power balancing, adding that interesting projections are being made on the issue of a new world order. On this context, he underscored the need for Nepal to adopt a balanced diplomacy keeping national interests at the centre also for the maintenance of bilateral and multilateral relations to seek solutions brought about by globalization and the rapid development of information technology. A prudent, effective and development-centered foreign policy is the need of the time for the protection and promotion of national interest, he concluded.