1 Chief Patron: Inside this Issue Hon’ble Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Deputy Prime Minister A. Bilateral Affairs and Minister for Foreign Affairs B. Multilateral Affairs Patron: Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi, C. Regional Affairs Foreign Secretary Editorial Team D. Policy Related and Other Mr. Tirtha Raj Wagle, Activities Joint Secretary E. Protocol, Passport and Dr. Damaru Ballabha Paudel, Consular Activities Under Secretary A. Bilateral Affairs 2. Eleventh Meeting of the Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood 1. Third Meeting of Nepal-India Management Oversight Mechanism The eleventh meeting of Nepal-India Joint The third meeting of Nepal-India Oversight Committee on Inundation and Flood Mechanism, jointly led by Foreign Secretary Management (JCIFM) was held in Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi and Ambassador of Kathmandu from 16 to 21 April 2017. The India to Nepal His Excellency Mr. Manjeev Nepali delegation was led by Mr. Madhukar Singh Puri, was held in Kathmandu on 12 Prasad Rajbhandari, Director General of the April 2017. Department of Water Induced Disaster Management (DWIDM), Government of The meeting made a comprehensive review Nepal and the Indian Delegation was led by of the progress made in bilateral economic Mr. A.K. Sinha, Member (Planning), Ganga and development cooperation projects and Flood Control Commission (GFCC), identified the measures to be undertaken by Government of India. the respective Governments or entities to ensure the timely and successful The meeting of the Joint Committee in implementation of the projects. The issues Kathmandu was preceded by joint field visit relating to cross border rail projects, to the ongoing and proposed flood protection Integrated Check Posts, Terai Roads Project, works along the Kamala, Bagmati and cross-border transmission lines, Arun III and Lalbakaiya rivers. During the meeting, Upper Karnali Hydropower projects, issues relating to physical and financial Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, review of all works in Kamala, Bagmati and Mahakali Bridges, Postal roads, Line of Lalbakaiya, ongoing works and release of Credit projects, reconstruction projects and fund, flood forecasting, and floods and other pertinent issues were discussed during inundation among others were discussed. the meeting. 2 3. Rt. Hon’ble President Visits India The Rt. Hon’ble President had a meeting with His Excellency Shri Pranab Mukherjee Rt. Hon’ble President Mrs. Bidya Devi at Rashtrapati Bhavan on the same day. Bhandari paid a State Visit to India from 17- During the meeting, the two leaders 21 April 2017 at the invitation of His exchanged views on the historical bonds Excellency Shri Pranab Mukherjee, between Nepal and India and shared that the President of India. The delegation comprised regular exchange of visits at the highest of Hon Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister level would further contribute to strengthening the close relations. for Foreign Affairs, Hon Ms. Sita Devi Yadav, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi, Foreign Secretary, Advisors to the Rt. Hon President, officials of the Government of Nepal and media persons. The Rt. Hon’ble President was accorded a Ceremonial Reception at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan on 18 April 2017, where she was received by His Excellency Shri Pranab Mukherjee, President, and His Rt. Hon’ble President with His Excellency Shri Pranab Excellency Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Mukherjee, the President of India Minister of India. During the Ceremony, the Rt. Hon’ble President also inspected a Guard Both leaders discussed about various areas of Honor. of cooperation including hydropower, infrastructure development, cross border The Rt. Hon’ble President visited the connectivity and post-earthquake Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and reconstruction and agreed on the need of signed the Visitor’s Book. She also visited further expanding such cooperation. The the Yamuna Biodiversity Park at the Bank of President of India hosted a Banquet in Yamuna River and planted a sampling there. honour of the Rt. Hon’ble President and her delegation. During the visit, the Rt. Hon’ble President was called on by His Excellency Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Vice President, and His Excellency Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. She was also called on by Her Excellency Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs, His Excellency Shri Rajnath Singh, Minister of Home Affairs, His Excellency Shri Arun Jaitley, Rt. Hon’ble President with H.E. Sri Narendra Modi, Prime Finance Minister of India and other high- Minister and H.E. Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, Minister of level political leaders. External Affairs of India 3 Addressing an interaction program with were put in place in the wake of the April business community organized by the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. Ministry of External Affairs of India, Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation During his visit, Dr. Maliki met Hon’ble of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Minister for Defense Mr. Bal Krishna Khad Industry and ASSOCHAM India, the Rt. and the Chief of Army Staff General Hon’ble President encouraged Indian Rajendra Chhetri. The Senior Minister of investors to visit Nepal and take advantage of the investment opportunities available State also interacted with the Singaporean here. community in Nepal during his stay in Kathmandu. The Rt. Hon’ble President also visited Somnath and Dwarkadhish temples in 5. Arrival of New Ambassador of the Gujarat State of India on 19 April 2017. She Republic of Korea was called on by His Excellency Shri Vijay His Excellency Mr. Park Young-sik, Rupani, Chief Minister of Gujarat in Rajkot. Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to The Rt. Hon’ble President attended a Nepal presented his Letter of Credence to program 'women empowerment' in Bhubaneswar, capital city of Odisha State on The Rt. Hon’ble President Mrs. Bidya Devi 2 April 2017 which was organized by the Bhandari at a special Ceremony in Sheetal Government of Odisha and Mission Shakti. Niwas on 03 May 2017. During the While addressing the event, The Rt. Hon’ble Ceremony Hon’ble Dr. Prakash Sharan President highlighted the salient features Mahat, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Chief enshrined in the Constitution of Nepal for of Army Staff and other high-level the empowerment of women including representation at political level and other dignitaries of the Government of Nepal were measures adopted by the Government of present. Ambassador Young-sik is a career Nepal, and said that exchange of knowledge diplomat who joined Korean Diplomatic and experience and sharing of good practices service in 1989 and served in different would be vital for women empowerment capacities in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of programs in the South Asian Korea as well as in Korean Embassies in regional context. She was called on by His Vietnam, Australia and Indonesia. Before Excellency Dr. S. C. Jamir, Governor of Odisha. Rt. Hon’ble President also visited being appointed as Ambassador to Nepal, he Lingaraja Temple and Jagannath Puri in was Director-General for International Bhubaneswar. Cooperation of Ministry of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea. 4. Senior Minister of State of Singapore Visits Nepal 6. Hon’ble Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat Visits Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Singapore Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, His Excellency Hon'ble Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Dr. Mohamad Maliki Osman paid a visit to Prakash Sharan Mahat, paid a visit to Nepal from 2 to 5 May 2017 to mark the Singapore to attend the Trade, Tourism and completion of the Singapore Red Cross Investment Promotion Program organized by (SRC) humanitarian relief efforts which the Embassy of Nepal in Bangkok in association with Honorary Consulate of 4 Nepal in Singapore and local Nepali 7. Signing of the MOU on Construction community there on 4 May 2017. of Nepal-China Cross-Border Economic Cooperation In his keynote address as the Chief Guest of The Government of Nepal and the the Program participated by the local Government of the People's Republic of entrepreneurs and business community, China signed Memorandum of Hon’ble Dr. Mahat highlighted the potential Understanding on Construction of Nepal- areas of investment in Nepal. China Cross-Border Economic Cooperation on 09 May 2017. Hon'ble Mr. Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of Nepal and His Excellency Mr. Zhong Shan, Minister of Commerce of the People's Republic of China signed the MoU on behalf of their respective governments. The agreement aims to strengthening economic cooperation and accelerating development in border regions of the two countries and to carrying out study on constructing Nepal-China Hon’ble Foreign Minister Addressing Trade, Tourism and cross-border economic cooperation zones in Investment Promotion Program in Singapore a qualified region. Shedding light on the policy and institutional reform measures introduced recently, he 8. Congratulatory Messages to the Newly Elected President and Newly added that Nepal is one of the most Appointed Prime Minister of the attractive destinations for foreign investment Republic of Korea in the region having vast areas of investment opportunities such as infrastructure, Rt. Hon'ble President Mrs. Bidya Devi development, health, agriculture, Bhandari and Rt. Hon'ble Prime Minister information and communication technology, Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' sent mining and minerals, tourism. their separate congratulatory messages to His Excellency Mr. Moon Jae-in, the newly During his stay in Singapore, Hon’ble Dr. elected President of the Republic of Korea Mahat held a meeting with H.E. Ms. on 10 May 2017. Josephine Teo, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Manpower and In their messages, both the President and the Second Minister for Foreign Affairs at the Prime Minster congratulated His Excellency Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore Mr. Moon for being elected as the 19th where both the Ministers discussed the President of the Republic of Korea and matters of bilateral interests and mutual conveyed best wishes for his successful benefits.