Current Affairs
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MOFA BULLETIN Current Affairs June - July, 2019 |Vol 4, Issue 1 Ministry of Foreign Affairs Policy, Planning, Development Diplomacy and Nepali Diaspora Division Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel. 4200182-185, Fax: 4200061, 4200160 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.mofa.gov.np Chief Patron: Inside this Issue Hon’ble Pradeep Kumar Gyawali Minister for Foreign Affairs A. Bilateral Affairs Patron: Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi, Foreign Secretary B. Multilateral Affairs C. Regional Affairs Editorial Team Mr. Kumar Raj Kharel, Joint Secretary D. Non Resident Nepalis, Mr. Bishnu Prasad Gautam, Under Secretary Passport and Consular Mr. Arjun Ghimire, Section Officer Matters A. BILATERAL AFFAIRS agreed to continue discussions on Gurkha issues in future. 1. THE PRIME MINISTER VISITS UK AND FRANCE Prime Minister Oli appreciated the UK’s support and cooperation extended to Nepal. The Prime The Prime Minister Mr. K P Sharma Oli paid Minister May congratulated Nepal on the recent separate bilateral visits to the United Kingdom, and political transformation and expressed commitment France on 10-12 June and 12-14 June respectively. to continue supporting Nepal in its prosperity agenda. During his visit to the UK, he held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Ms. The two sides also recognized each other’s strong Theresa May on 11 June and discussed matters of leadership on international issues including on bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The climate change and agreed to work together, both two Prime Ministers noted the progress made vis-à- bilaterally and multilaterally. vis shared objectives, and committed to continued dialogue on issues of mutual interests. While in the UK, Prime Minister Oli addressed a special ceremony organized by the Oxford Union at the University of Oxford on 10 June. In his address, he highlighted Nepal’s successful peace process and shared his thoughts on democracy, development and the Government’s ongoing efforts to achieve prosperity and progress. The Prime Minister addressed a gathering of the members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords at the British Parliament Building in Westminster on 11 June. The event was hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Nepal (APPG) and the British Group Inter-Parliamentary Prime Minister Oli with British Prime Minister Union (BGIPU). In the afternoon on the same day, May at the latter’s office he addressed the business leaders at a programme The two Prime Ministers discussed the ways organized by the Confederation of British Industries to strengthen trade and investment relationship (CBI). between Nepal and the UK, in line with Nepal’s The Prime Minister visited the Headquarters of the ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ agenda. They British Gurkhas at Sandhurst on 11 June. MOFA BULLETIN Current Affairs 2 The Prime Minister also had a meeting with the United Nations peacekeeping operations, they Leader of the Opposition in the British Parliament expressed their commitment to work together for Mr. Jeremy Corbyn. Both leaders discussed the the maintenance of international peace and security issues of bilateral interests and deliberated on ways under the auspices of the United Nations. to enhance Nepal-UK cooperation in various areas. The two Prime Ministers decided to conduct On the occasion of Prime Minister Oli’s visit to consultations, on a regular basis, between the two the UK, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal Mr. Foreign Ministries. They underlined the significance Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and Secretary of State for of exchanging high-level visits in further cementing Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the UK, Mr. friendly ties and promoting collaborative Jeremy Hunt MP, released a Joint Communiqué. partnerships in mutually beneficial areas. Prime Minister Oli’s visit to France began on 12 June. Earlier on 12 June, the Prime Minister addressed a He had a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister programme which was attended by representatives of the French Republic Mr. Edouard Philippe on 13 from the French Business Community. The June. The two leaders expressed their happiness on programme was organized by the Federation of the excellent state of relationship between Nepal National Chambers of Industries and Commerce of and France, which share the fundamental values of France (MEDEF) at MEDEF Headquarters in Paris. democracy and human rights. Following the event, he had separate meetings with the representatives of the selected French While Prime Minister Oli commended the Companies. In both interaction programme and continued progress and prosperity achieved by separate meetings, the Prime Minister highlighted France, the French Prime Minister congratulated on investment opportunities available in Nepal and Nepal on its historic political transformation and invited the French Companies to invest in Nepal. the institutionalization of political gains through the democratic constitution. On 14 June, the Prime Minister addressed a tourism promotion program organized in the French City of Chamonix-Mont Blanc as part of the celebrations of the 70th Anniversary of Nepal-France diplomatic relations. The Prime Minister drew comparisons to the relations between France and Nepal with the heights of Mont Blanc, highest peak in Europe and the Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. While expressing deep concerns over the impacts of climate change to the mountain ecology, the Prime Minister highlighted the contributions of the mountainous countries towards controlling global warming. He underlined the ways to enhance Nepal- French Prime Minister Philippe welcomes Prime France cooperation in tourism in the context of Visit Minister Oli to his office Nepal 2020 Campaign. The two Prime Ministers underscored the importance of expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation in the field of trade, investment and technology to contribute to the realization of Nepal’s national aspiration of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’. The two Prime Ministers also shared the commitment to multilateralism, regional integration Prime Minister Oli with Europe-based Ambassadors and peaceful resolution of conflict. Highlighting and senior Government officials in Geneva that both countries are major contributors to MOFA BULLETIN 3 Current Affairs On 15 June, he took briefings from Europe- based Nepali Ambassadors/Heads of Mission at a programme organized in Geneva, Switzerland. The Ambassadors/Heads of Mission made brief presentation on the ongoing activities and highlighted major achievements, challenges and future courses of action of their respective Embassies/Missions. The Prime Minister instructed the Ambassadors/ Heads of Mission to streamline their activities towards contributing to the overarching agenda of ‘prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’. The Prime Minister also visited CERN (Counseil Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Pradeep Kumar Europeen Pour la Recherche Nucleaire), a European Gyawali with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Centre for Nuclear Research and High-Energy Minister Wang Yi Particle Physics Laboratory in Geneva in the afternoon on 15 June. He was received by the Head 3. PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS of International Relations Department, scientists CHINA & research scholars and senior management of the A Parliamentary Delegation led by the Chairperson CERN. The Prime Minister was briefed about the of the International Affairs Committee of the House research works undertaken by various departments of Representatives Mrs. Pabitra Nirola Kharel visited of the Institution before inspecting Atlas Laboratory China in July. During the visit, Mrs. Kharel had a at the CERN. meeting with Mr. Chen Guomin, Vice-Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of National People’s During all these engagements in the visit, the Prime Congress of China and exchanged ideas on various Minister was accompanied by his spouse Mrs. matters of mutual interest. Radhika Shakya, Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, advisors to the Prime 4. JAPANESE PARLIAMENTARY VICE Minister and senior Government officials. MINISTER VISITS NEPAL 2. FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS CHINA Japanese Parliamentary Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism visited Nepal Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Pradeep Kumar from 29 June to 1 July. During the visit, the Vice Gyawali visited the People’s Republic of China Minister met with Padma Kumari Aryal, Minister from 30 June to 5 July. During his visit, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Gyawali met with his Chinese counterpart Mr. Alleviation and exchanged views on various aspects Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister for Foreign of Nepal-Japan relations in general, and practical Affairs in Beijing on 3 July and participated in the 13th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the cooperation in the area of land management between New Champions (also known as Summer Davos) in two countries, in particular. Dalian on 1-2 July. During the meeting with Wang 5. CHAIRMAN OF ENVIRONMENTAL Yi, Minister Gyawali extended congratulations to PROTECTION AND RESOURCES China on the 70th anniversary of the founding of CONSERVATION COMMITTEE OF CHINA PRC, and said that President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s VISITS NEPAL State Visit to China this year had opened new vistas of opportunities for comprehensive and Mr. Gao Huchen, Chairman of Environmental practical partnership between Nepal and China and Protection and Resources Conservation Committee underscored the importance of high-level visits