Foreign Minister Rana holds bilateral meetings in NY

Kathmandu, September 25 — While participating in the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba held separate meetings with the Foreign Ministers of South Korea and the Philippines.

During her meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, discussions focused on various aspects of Nepal-Korea relations, mutual interests, and shared concerns, as reported by Dr. Deuba’s private secretariat. They talked about how the friendly relations between the two countries are based on mutual respect and understanding, and they expressed intentions to deepen these ties in the future.

Additionally, they discussed the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and South Korea, which was established in 1974.

Foreign Minister Dr. Deuba extended an invitation for the President of South Korea to visit Nepal, emphasizing that a high-level visit during the golden jubilee of diplomatic relations would strengthen and expand the ties between the two countries.

During the meeting, Dr. Deuba expressed gratitude on behalf of the Nepalese government for the employment opportunities being provided to Nepalese citizens through the Employment Permit System (EPS) and the scholarships being granted to Nepalese students and government officials by the South Korean government. She also appreciated the long-standing support from South Korea in various sectors, including social and economic development.

Minister Dr. Rana urged South Korea to increase its investment in Nepal, highlighting that South Korea is one of the leading countries in terms of direct investment in Nepal, with approximately 12 billion rupees invested in the last fiscal year.

As Nepal is seeking candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Security Council, the Foreign Minister requested South Korean support.

On the same day, Minister Deuba also met with Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique A. Manalo. During their discussion, they talked about mutual interests, shared concerns, and future cooperation. The Foreign Minister also requested the Philippines to support Nepal's candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council and the Security Council.