Mahat to seek support from the EU

Kathmandu, Feb. 12: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat Sunday said that additional support for post-quake reconstruction and infrastructure development, removal of Nepal from the black list of the EU Air Safety Committee and export promotion of Nepalese goods in the European Union (EU) countries were the major agenda of his visit to the EU.

“In order to achieve sustainable development in the political and social sectors, we need to expedite infrastructure development as well as tourism and product promotion in the EU. We expect more support from the EU member nations,” said the minister while talking to the media at a press meet organised at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) before leaving on a five-day visit to Belgium.

He will participate in the ‘International high level conference on mediation: Possibilities and limits, recent experiences in the pursuit of peace’ at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Belgium Didier Reynders.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with the officials of EU, and the governments of Belgium and Luxemburg.

The EU has banned Nepalese airlines from flying through its airspace for failing to meet regulatory oversight standards of the EU. This has negatively impacted the tourism industry of the country.

Dr. Mahat is scheduled to meet European Commission (EC) President and former prime minister of Luxemburg Jean-Claude Juncker and High Representative of the EC for Foreign and Defense Policy Federica Mogherin.

Likewise, he will meet Foreign Minister of Luxemburg Jean Asselborn, Development Cooperation Minister Roman Schneider and Reynders.

“During the meetings, we will have discussions on the expansion of trade between the two nations, investment promotion, tourism development and other bilateral issues,” said Dr. Mahat.

Similarly, the minister will attend a programme organised by the Non-Resident Nepalese and Public Relations Committee in Luxemburg, and will interact with the Nepalese Diaspora.

He will also address an interaction on ‘Inclusive democracy and economic transformation in Nepal: Prospects and challenges’ which will be organised by the Nepalese Embassy in Brussels and European Institute for Asian Studies.

“EU is one of the major development partners of Nepal, and bilateral meetings with the regional body and other member states of the Union will help to garner further support and cooperation for Nepal’s development and strengthen the bilateral relationships with them,” said the minister.

Dr. Mahat is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on February 17.

He is being accompanied by the head of the Europe America Division at the MoFA Sushil Kumar Lamsal and other high officials from the ministry and officials of the Nepalese Embassy, Brussels.