Government Aims for Economic Prosperity: Foreign Minister Khanal

Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has said the government is moving forward with the goal of achieving economic prosperity. Addressing a program organized by the Economic Diplomacy Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, he emphasized that international assistance and trade are key foundations for economic prosperity.

He highlighted the need to further expand Nepal’s participation and benefits in the areas of international assistance and trade. Minister Khanal remarked, “The question is how we can further enhance the crucial aspects of international assistance and trade.”

Minister Khanal noted that given the challenges and limitations created by the current geopolitical situation, Nepal must move forward with clear priorities. He pointed out that although Nepal, as a least developed country, has been receiving zero-tariff facilities from various nations, it has not been able to reap the expected benefits. He stressed the importance of reviewing where opportunities were missed in the past.

He said, “We have long been passing through challenging circumstances. Now we must identify the areas where we need to work immediately to move ahead.”

Minister Khanal cautioned that trying to work in all areas simultaneously and deploying limited resources everywhere would not yield the desired results. Therefore, he emphasized the need for clarity on which issues Nepal’s missions abroad should prioritize.

He further noted that in today’s global environment, political power is increasingly linked to economic strength, and thus policies and plans must be formulated and implemented effectively with this in mind.

The program was attended by Bhagirath Basnet, President of the Association of Former Career Ambassadors of Nepal (AFCAN), along with other members of the organization. On the occasion, former Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya presented a paper on international assistance, while former Ambassador Deepak Dhital presented one on trade.

Minister Khanal expressed gratitude for both papers, describing them as insightful and important. Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai also remarked that the papers were informative and significant.