MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL ANNUAL REPORT (2016/17) KATHMANDU, NEPAL AUGUST 2017 Nepal: Facts and figures Geographical location: Latitude: 26° 22' North to 30° 27' North Longitude: 80° 04' East to 88° 12' East Area: 147,181 sq. km Border: North—People's Republic of China East, West and South — India Capital: Kathmandu Population: 28431494 (2016 Projected) Country Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Head of State: Rt. Honourable President Head of Government: Rt. Honourable Prime Minister National Day: 3 Ashwin (20 September) Official Language: Nepali Major Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism Literacy (5 years above): 65.9 % (Census, 2011) Life Expectancy at Birth: 66.6 years (Census, 2011) GDP Per Capita: US $ 853 (2015/16) Monetary Unit: 1 Nepalese Rupee (= 100 Paisa) Main Exports: Carpets, Garments, Leather Goods, Handicrafts, Grains (Source: Nepal in Figures 2016, Central Bureau of Statistics, Kathmandu) Contents Message from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Foreword 1. Year Overview 1 2. Neighbouring Countries and South Asia 13 3. North East Asia, South East Asia, the Pacific and Oceania 31 4. Central Asia, West Asia and Africa 41 5. Europe and Americas 48 6. Regional Cooperation 67 7. Multilateral Affairs 76 8. Policy, Planning, Development Diplomacy 85 9. Administration and Management 92 10. Protocol Matters 93 11. Passport Services 96 12. Consular Services 99 Appendices I. Joint Statement Issued on the State Visit of Prime Minister of Nepal, Rt. Hon’ble Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ to India 100 II. Treaties/Agreements/ MoUs Signed/Ratified in 2016/2017 107 III. Nepali Ambassadors and Consuls General Appointed in 2016/17 111 IV. Foreign Ambassadors Who Presented Credentials to the President in 2016/17 112 V. Foreign Ambassadors Who Completed their Tour of Duty in 2016/17 114 VI. Nepali Diplomatic Missions with Concurrent Accreditation 115 VII. Appointment, Tenure Extension and Promotion of Honorary Consuls General/Consuls of Nepal in 2016/17 120 VIII. Honorary Consuls Representing Foreign Countries in Kathmandu (Approved in 2016/17) 122 IX. Nepali Ambassadors / Consuls General Who Served in Diplomatic Missions Abroad 123 X. Record of High-level Visits as of July 2017 136 XI. Speeches/ Statements Delivered during High-level Visits in 2016/17 142 Message from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Krishna Bahadur Mahara We are all well-aware that the promulgation of the Constitution 2015 was a culmination of Nepal’s ‘unique and home-grown’ peace process. This materialized the long-cherished aspirations of Nepali people to have a Constitution written by their own elected representatives. This year, implementation of the inclusive democratic Constitution continued to remain crucial in our efforts to institutionalize democratic gains and achievements made over a long period of time through people’s arduous struggles and revolutions. In this context, the country witnessed successful holding of local-level elections after a gap of nearly two decades. The Government also made preparations for provincial and federal elections within the timeframe as stipulated in the Constitution. For the first time in Nepal’s history, the Constitution has clearly defined the major elements of national interest and reinforced the fundamental bases for the conduct of an independent and balanced foreign policy of the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued to pursue foreign policy objectives within these parameters with the aim of enhancing the country’s image in the international arena. In doing so, the historic achievements of Nepali people were highlighted with an aim to sustaining goodwill and support of the international community to our democratic transformation and socio-economic development, among others. Our foreign policy priorities were directed towards consolidating multifaceted relations with the neighboring countries. High-level exchanges, reactivation of important bilateral mechanisms and conclusion of some important instruments were the main features of our engagements with the neighbours. Continuous efforts were also made to enhance our relations with the major powers and development partners as well as the countries across the globe. Our relations with labour destination countries also received priority. Our engagements in regional organizations and multilateral forums remained substantial. We played an active role in advancing regional cooperation under SAARC and BIMSTEC and contributed to international peace and security through our participation in various UN peacekeeping operations. Solidarity and cooperation with LDCs and LLDCs continued to characterize the pursuit of our common agenda. We made visible progress in service delivery from Departments and Diplomatic Missions. The Department of Passports was awarded an ISO certification, thereby making it the first government agency to receive such a certification in quality management system. Similarly, the Department of Consular Services provided effective and efficient services including through the use of information and communication technologies. In the conduct of development diplomacy, we sought to promote our vital economic interests abroad. We remained effortful in attracting more foreign investment in our national priority sectors, mobilizing assistance in reconstruction efforts, promoting tourism and expanding export trade. Against this backdrop, the Ministry is publishing this Annual Report incorporating the major activities undertaken by the Ministry, its Departments, and Diplomatic Missions abroad in the Fiscal Year 2073/74 (16 July 2016- 15 July 2017). This publication aims at sharing information with the wider public on the conduct of Nepal’s diplomacy and international relations during this period. It is my hope that this Report will serve as a reference for academicians, students, journalists and general public interested in the foreign affairs of Nepal. My sincere appreciation goes to the editorial team for their efforts in bringing out this report. I also thank all other officials at the Ministry, its Departments and Missions abroad for their contributions to this report. Krishna Bahadur Mahara Foreword We are happy to bring out the Annual Report 2016/17 as a part of proactive public disclosure. We have tried our best to make this Report more comprehensive and elaborate based on the experience of the previous publications. I am confident that this Annual Report, as a compendium of initiatives, activities and achievements of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Missions in 2016/17, will add to the repertoire of information and knowledge about Nepal’s diplomatic engagements. The role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pivotal in safeguarding Nepal’s vital interest. It is in this context that the whole diplomatic machinery was mobilized taking cognizance of domestic political developments and evolving external situations. The Legislature-Parliament’s Committee on International Relations and Labour provided important directives and guidelines in the conduct of diplomacy. The Ministry regularly consulted relevant stakeholders on important foreign policy issues. A High-Level Foreign Policy Review Task Force (HLFPRTF) was set up under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister for Foreign Affairs to recommend the foreign policy priorities and the ways to implement them effectively in consonance with the domestic realities and to respond to the rapidly changing external environment. A number of consultative groups on foreign policy issues including the one representing private sector were constituted. Our diplomatic outreach was further expanded this year. The number of countries with which Nepal established diplomatic relations reached 147. With the establishment of the Embassy in Madrid (Spain) and the Consulate General in Guangzhou (China), our overseas diplomatic presence expanded to 38 stations. Likewise, we established bilateral consultation mechanisms with a number of countries across the continents. Our relations with neighbouring countries witnessed both expansion and consolidation. A series of high-level visits helped enhance trust and understanding paving the way for greater cooperation on mutually beneficial areas. Nepal further strengthened friendship and broadened the partnership with major powers and development partners for socio-economic development. Our engagement with labour destination countries was substantial. We continued to give priority to safety, security and well-being of the migrant workers. We also made efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with countries in Asia, Oceania, Africa, Latin America and other regions on the basis of mutual benefit and cooperation. Realizing meaningful cooperation through deeper integration underpinned our diplomatic efforts on regional front. With this vision, we consistently pursued regional cooperation under SAARC and BIMSTEC. We continued to participate actively in UN peacekeeping operations with the sole objective of contributing to the international peace and security. We remained proactive in advancing the common cause of LDCs and LLDCs. Our regional and multilateral engagements have helped us earn prestige as a responsible member of the international community. Economic interest remained at the core of our engagements, efforts and initiatives under development diplomacy. We have initiated the process of developing concrete country-specific strategies in accordance with our needs and priorities. This will be helpful