Nepal-Canada Foreign Minister-level bilateral meeting held
Kathmandu: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba and her Canadian counterpart, Melanie Joly had a bilateral meeting in Ottawa, Canada on Wednesday.
On the occasion, the two Foreign Affairs Ministers discussed on various aspects of Nepal-Canada ties, mutual interest and concern as well as on promotion of investment and partnership, among the topics.
The Embassy of Nepal based in Ottawa stated in a press release that during the meeting, Foreign Minister Rana praised the cooperation extended to Nepal by Canada in Nepal’s democratic process and in drafting the present constitution. She informed that Nepal’s parliament has recently endorsed the laws related to the transitional justice, which will facilitate in concluding the remaining works of the peace process. Expressing gratitude to Canada for the support the Government of Canada has provided to Nepal during the difficult period of the earthquake and Covid-19 pandemic as well as for the country’s socio-economic progress, Minister Rana urged Canada to establish its embassy in Nepal.
Rana argued that it would be fruitful to Canada also to set up its embassy in a democratic country like Nepal situated between two large countries of Asia. Foreign Minister Rana also requested Canada to help Nepal through increased trade and investment, stating that Canada has been providing duty-free access to products from Nepal, a least developed nation which is poised to graduate to a developing country status in 2026, the Embassy of Nepal, Ottawa.
Likewise, she urged Canada to invest in Nepal’s water resources sector and take maximum benefit based on its experience and expertise in the water resources sector. Stating that Nepal and Canada share common views on several international issues, she said both countries have been collaborating in the peace keeping works at the call of the United Nations and in achieving the climate change and sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The Foreign Affairs Minister shared on the occasion that 2,554 Nepali women peacekeepers have so far served in the peacekeeping missions in various conflict-hit countries of the world at the call of the UN and at present 608 women are working in the UN peacekeeping missions. She also invited the Canadian Foreign Minister to visit Nepal.
Bilateral talks will be held in Kathmandu in coming December and an agreement has been reached to prepare the basis for a bilateral understanding on tourism and education. Agreement has been reached for collaboration in the ‘feminist foreign policy’ introduced by Canada while giving continuity to Canada’s assistance to Nepal in the women empowerment sector.
Canadian Foreign Minister Joly informed Minister Rana that the Government of Canada is prepared to assist Nepal through the Canadian Pension Fund. She expressed positive response to the proposal of opening an embassy of Canada in Nepal.
