US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor Arrives in Nepal for Three-Day Visit

Kathmandu. US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor, is arriving in Kathmandu today for a three-day visit to Nepal. Gor's visit comes 11 days after Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, S. Paul Kapur, concluded his three-day visit to Nepal and departed. 

He, who is also the US Ambassador to India, plans to meet with Prime Minister Balen Shah during his Nepal visit. However, Prime Minister Shah has not yet confirmed the meeting. According to sources in Balen's secretariat, there is no schedule for a meeting with Gor. Nevertheless, it is understood that there is pressure for a meeting. Gor's objective as Special Envoy of President Trump is to meet with the Prime Minister, but the meeting has not yet been confirmed. Gor had previously visited countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka and met with their heads of state. Just yesterday, he met with the President of Kazakhstan. Although a meeting with Prime Minister Balen in Nepal is not confirmed, meetings with Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal have been confirmed.

This visit, like that of Assistant Secretary Kapur, is expected to focus on investment and economic cooperation. However, Gor holds a higher office than Kapur. While Kapur also worked in President Trump's secretariat, Gor is considered closer to Trump and more powerful than Kapur. 

It has been over a month since Balen was appointed Prime Minister. He has not met anyone individually so far. On Chaitra 25, he met with ambassadors collectively. Sources from Balen's secretariat state that he has decided not to meet with ambassadors or lower-level officials coming from abroad. He intends to meet only heads of state or top ministers. 

On Baishakh 28, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is also arriving for a visit to Nepal. Secretary Misri is coming with a formal invitation for Prime Minister Balen's visit to India. It is not yet certain whether that invitation will be presented to Prime Minister Balen directly or through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.