Prime Minister Balen Shah Breaks Tradition with Collective Meeting of Foreign Ambassadors

Kathmandu. Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) has held a collective meeting with ambassadors from various countries. Breaking the tradition of previous Prime Ministers who met ambassadors individually, Prime Minister Shah's decision to hold a joint meeting has been praised in diplomatic circles. 

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Prime Minister Shah addressed the ambassadors using refined diplomatic language. During the meeting, the ambassadors congratulated the Prime Minister for managing the country's recent transition and restoring public confidence in a short period. 

The official noted that the ambassadors expressed that stability in Nepal would facilitate their work. They expressed satisfaction with the government's actions following the 'Gen-Z movement' and pledged their commitment to cooperation. They affirmed their support for all government initiatives aimed at benefiting the Nepali people. 

Prime Minister Shah emphasized that Nepal treats all nations equally and requires collective support for national development. He assured that there would be no change in Nepal's fundamental non-aligned foreign policy and that the government intends to work in collaboration with all partners. Quoting the Prime Minister, the official said, "There is much development work to be done, and everyone's support is necessary." 

Highlighting Nepal's commitment to a balanced and pragmatic foreign policy, Prime Minister Shah stated that external relations are being managed with the goal of shared prosperity. He emphasized that peace should be a common priority, as global conflicts disproportionately affect ordinary citizens. 

‘I trust we all agree on this and look forward to collective efforts in this direction. I would like to thank all the friends present here for their continued friendship and support to Nepal,’ said Prime Minister Shah. 

He stated that the Government of Nepal is committed to creating a favorable environment for investment, encouraging entrepreneurship, and supporting sustainable development. The official added that Prime Minister Shah expressed the goal of integrating Nepal more strongly into regional and global economic structures in line with national interests. 

Prime Minister Shah expressed the government's willingness to advance cooperation in areas such as development, trade, investment, climate action, and people-to-people relations. He told the ambassadors that the current government is focused on performance and has no alternative but to deliver results. 

Stating that peace and development are his priorities, Prime Minister Shah also urged the ambassadors to take initiatives for the safety of Nepali workers and other citizens residing abroad. He reiterated his goal of improving the living standards of the Nepali people and emphasized the need for international cooperation in this endeavor. 
 
The collective meeting was attended by ambassadors from 20 countries, including Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava, Chinese Ambassador Chen Song, Acting US Ambassador Scott Urbom, British Ambassador Rob Fenn, South Korean Ambassador Park Tae-young, German Ambassador Eugen Volz, Bangladeshi Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, Japanese Ambassador Kikuta Yutaka, and Swiss Ambassador Dr. Danielle Meuwly. Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, Chief Secretary Eknarayan Aryal, and Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai were also present at the discussion.