SA envoy to encourage FDI in Nepal

Kathmandu, Mar. 26: South Africa's ambassador to Nepal, resident in Colombo of Sri Lanka, R. P. Marks, presented her credentials to President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday at the Presidential Palace here Sunday.

She stated that as a woman it was an honour to have handed over her credentials to Nepal's first female head of state.

Marks is High Commissioner of South Africa for Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal.

According to a press statement issued by the South African High Commissioner at Colombo,  ambassador Marks is keen to enhance trade relations, encourage foreign direct investment (FDI), scientific and technology exchanges with all four countries she is accredited.

"She is keen on increasing economic interaction, and specifically trade, between Nepal and South Africa," read the statement. "South Africa looks forward to providing on-going support to Nepal for reconciliation, nation building, and transitional justice and in sharing the South African experience. In this regard a number of delegations visited South Africa, including from the Nepalese Constitutional Court, and the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs."

Similarly, South African delegations, such as from the South African Department of Justice, had visited Nepal.

The relations between Nepal and the Republic of South Africa were established on on 28 July 1994.

"The bilateral relations have been marked by growing mutual trust, cooperation and deeper understanding. Nepal, as Vice-Chair of the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid, significantly contributed to the anti-apartheid movement and thereby to the process of elimination of apartheid in South Africa," read the statement.

Marks holds a BA Honours degree in Sociology from the University of Western Cape, South Africa. She also holds a Master’s degree in Gender and Development from the University of Sussex, UK as well as an Advanced Diploma in Institutional Development from the University of Manchester, UK.

A former political detainee under the then Internal Security Act 29 during the Anti-Apartheid struggle, Marks served in senior management as Chief Director at the Department of Foreign Affairs.