MOFA BULLETIN Current Affairs
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MOFA BULLETIN Current Affairs 13 February-15 July 2020 | Volume 4, Issue 5 Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singha Durbar, Kathmandu www.mofa.gov.np Inside This Issue A. BILATERAL AFFAIRS 2 B. REGIONAL AND MULTILATERAL AFFAIRS 6 C. POLICY RELATED AFFAIRS 13 D. PROTOCOL AFFAIRS 14 E. SERVICE DELIVERY 15 A. BILATERAL AFFAIRS TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN PRESIDENTS OF NEPAL AND THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA President of Nepal Mrs. Nepal extended appreciation and People of Nepal on the Bidya Devi Bhandari held a to the Government and people occasion of the observance telephone conversation with of China for the assistance of of National Day of Mourning President of the People’s medical logistics provided to in China in memory of those Republic of China Mr. Xi Nepal in the fight against the who lost their lives while Jinping on 27 April 2020. pandemic. fighting the novel coronavirus. The two Presidents shared The two Presidents further views on the ongoing global The President of China expressed satisfaction on the fight against the COVID-19 thanked the Government excellent state of bilateral pandemic and its impacts and people of Nepal for relations and agreed to across the world. They the solidarity and support further strengthen these also appreciated initiatives extended to the Government relations in the coming days pursued by the governments and people of China during through the implementation in containing and controlling the coronavirus epidemic. He of understandings and the COVID-19 in both also appreciated sentiments agreements reached during countries. The President of expressed by the Government high-level visits. PRIME MINISTER HOLDS TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH HIS COUNTERPARTS Prime Minister Mr. K P medical care of the people of ensuring its continuity as Sharma Oli held a telephone the two countries living in before the pandemic. conversation with the Prime each other’s territory. Prime The Prime Minister of Nepal Minister of India, Shri Minister Oli thanked to the also held similar telephone Narendra Modi, on 10 April Government, people and conversations separately 2020. The two Prime Ministers the Prime Minister of India with the Prime Minister of discussed about the fight for the supply of essential Bahrain, the Crown Prince medicines and medical against Covid-19 and agreed of the United Arab Emirates, logistics to Nepal. to intensify cooperation to the Prime Minister of Kuwait, deal with the pandemic. In The two Prime Ministers the Deputy Prime Minister of the context of lockdown in expressed satisfaction on the Oman, the Prime Minister of both the countries, the two smooth supply of essential Qatar, the President of Israel, Prime Ministers agreed to goods across the border and the Prime Minister of Israel. look after the welfare and and underlined the need for 2 13 February-15 July 2020 | Volume 4, Issue 5 NEPAL AND ISRAEL CELEBRATE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS Nepal and the State of Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Israel celebrated the and exchanged greetings Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and 60th anniversary of the and best wishes. The two Foreign Minister of Israel Mr. establishment of diplomatic Prime Ministers expressed Gabi Ashkenazi also exchanged relations on 1 June 2020. satisfaction on the state of the messages of greetings on bilateral relations that grew that day to mark the special On the occasion, Prime and consolidated in the past occasion of the establishment Minister Mr. K P Sharma Oli 60 years and agreed to further of diplomatic relations between held a telephone conversation strengthen it in future. Nepal and Israel. with Israeli Prime Minister FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali paid an official visit to Bangladesh on 17- 19 February 2020 at the invitation of Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. The two Ministers held an official bilateral meeting that deliberated on various matters of mutual interests such as the expansion of Foreign Minister Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali with bilateral trade through the Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, Minister of Foreign Affairs removal of tariff and non- of Bangladesh, Dhaka, 18 February 2020 tariff barriers, simplification of administrative procedures, development of multi-modal Foreign Minister Gyawali also Bangladesh Bangabandhu transport and connectivity paid courtesy calls on President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and networks, improved transit of Bangladesh Md. Abdul extended congratulations facilities and promotion of Hamid and Prime Minister and best wishes to the investment. Ms. Sheikh Hasina. During Government and people of the calls on, he emphasized the Bangladesh on the occasion During the visit, the Foreign need to further strengthen the of his birth centenary. Minister met with Mr. relations between Nepal and Tipu Munshi, Minister of The Foreign Minister was Bangladesh for the benefit of Commerce of Bangladesh and accompanied by Foreign the peoples of both countries. discussed the ways and means Secretary Mr. Shanker Das to increase bilateral trade, During the visit, Foreign Bairagi and other senior including through expanding Minister Gyawali also visited officials of the Government of Nepal’s export to Bangladesh the Bangabandhu Memorial Nepal. and increasing connectivity Museum and paid tribute between the two countries. to the Father of Nation of FOREIGN MINISTER PARTICIPATES IN HIGH LEVEL VIDEO CONFERENCE ON BELT AND ROAD INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Co-operation: Combating Republic of China. The Minister for Foreign Affairs COVID-19 with Solidarity’ Foreign Minister delivered a participated in High-level chaired by Mr. Wang Yi, State statement on 18 June 2020. ‘Video Conference on Belt Councilor and Minister of Foreign Minister Gyawali, and Road International Foreign Affairs of the People’s 3 MoFA Bulletin in his statement, underlined Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) relevant Ministers from 26 the importance of mutual in high-quality development countries along with Director support, collective efforts in the partner countries and General of the World and cooperation from underscored the importance Health Organization WHO multilateral institutions of the new initiative of Health and Administrator of the as vital in combating the Silk Road under the BRI. United Nations Development COVID-19 pandemic. He Programme participated in Foreign Ministers and other appreciated the role of the the conference. MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS HOLDS TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH HIS COUNTERPARTS Minister for Foreign Affairs conversations, including Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali with Dr. Subrahmanyam of Australia, and Prince Faisal held several high-level Jaishankar, External Affairs bin Farhan Al Saud, Foreign telephone conversations, Minister of India, Mr. Wang Minister of Saudi Arabia. including at the level of Yi, State Councilor and During these high-level Foreign Ministers, in the Minister of Foreign Affairs engagements, besides taking major foreign employment of the People’s Republic stock on matters of bilateral destination countries of China, Mr. Michael R. relations and exchanging following the onset of the Pompeo, Secretary of State of views, Foreign Minister pandemic. Through the the United States of America, Gyawali underscored the telephone conversations, the Mr. François-Philippe need to forge economic Foreign Minister expressed Champagne, Minister for partnerships to address the solidarity and sympathies Foreign Affairs of Canada, post-epidemic challenges. with his counterparts in the Mr. Lord Ahmed, Minister He also thanked all the respective countries in the of State at the Foreign and governments for providing fight against COVID-19 Commonwealth Office of various kinds of support and requested them to the United Kingdom, Ms. to Nepal in her effort to ensure safety and security of Arancha Gonzalez, Minister combat COVID-19, including Nepali nationals during this for External Affairs, European medicines, logistics, test kits, difficult time. The Foreign Union and Cooperation of among others. Minister held telephone Spain, Ms. Marise Payne, PROGRESS MONITORING THROUGH VIDEO CONFERENCES The Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the work, priority and the about postponement of held regular video conferences activities of the Embassies. Visit Nepal Year 2020 and with the embassies of Nepal Foreign Minister Mr. Gyawali Sagarmatha Sambaad due to located in Bangkok, Canberra, instructed the Ambassadors the pandemic, and instructed Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and to work hard to provide the Embassies to continue the countries in the Middle all possible support and regular reporting on the East and Africa region to facilitation for the Nepali unfolding COVID situation discuss issues, including the nationals in their respective and measures taken by the situation of Nepali nationals host countries in the current host country governments, and the effect of COVID-19 difficult situation, and in those countries. The Heads take initiatives to protect the strengthen bilateral relations of missions in the respective interests of Nepali nationals, to achieve Nepal’s diplomatic countries apprised the Foreign including their employment goals.. Minister about the COVID and extend necessary support situation, initiatives taken The Foreign Minister also and care to them in the face of by the host countries as well informed the Ambassadors adversity. 4 13 February-15 July 2020 | Volume 4, Issue 5 FOURTH