Ministry lacks data on Nepali students abroad: Foreign Minister Rana
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Kathmandu, February 20 — Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have comprehensive data on Nepali students living abroad.
Speaking to the press at Tribhuvan International Airport after her return from Oman, she emphasized the need for a proper system to track this information to facilitate better rescue and assistance in the future.
She also mentioned that the Ministry lacks adequate manpower for such operations.
Minister Deuba took serious note of the death of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha and claimed that diplomatic efforts were made to resolve the situation.
She shared that during her visit to Oman, she had spoken with Odisha's Minister of Higher Education Suryabanshi Suraj about the incident and urged him to take appropriate action against those responsible.
She also requested the authorities to ensure a safe environment for Nepali students at the university.
The Foreign Minister also revealed that the Indian minister assured her that Odisha's state government had taken the incident seriously and formed a high-level investigation committee to ensure justice for Prakriti Lamsal.
During her visit to Oman, Dr. Rana participated in the 8th Indian Ocean Conference, where she addressed the session on "Voyage to New Horizons of Maritime Cooperation."
The conference saw the participation of foreign ministers from 40 countries in the Indian Ocean region.
She also met with various foreign ministers, including India's Dr. S. Jaishankar and officials from Oman, UAE, Sri Lanka, Iran, and Japan.
Discussions during these meetings included Nepal's foreign policy, regional cooperation, and bilateral concerns, including the release of a Nepali student held by Hamas and assistance for infrastructure reconstruction in Nepal.
This diplomatic visit also resulted in the signing of two separate memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between Nepal and Oman in the fields of diplomacy and tourism.
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