Bilateral trade, investment, people-to-people contracts stressed
Kathmandu, Sept. 19
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba,
held an official bilateral meeting on Wednesday with her Canadian counterpart, Mélanie
Joly, at the latter’s office in Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa.
During the meeting, the two Foreign Ministers reviewed the
state of friendly bilateral relations between Nepal and Canada, and talked
about further promoting Nepal-Canada relations in various areas of mutual
interest, including trade, investment, development cooperation, and promoting
people-to-people contacts, Embassy of Nepal in Ottawa informed in a statement.
Both the ministers expressed satisfaction over the cooperative
relations that Nepal and Canada are enjoying ever since the establishment of
diplomatic ties in 1965 and stressed on the need to maintain high-level
communication and exchanges and explore further areas of mutually beneficial
economic partnership between the two countries.
"The two Foreign Ministers took note the milestone 60th
year of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Canada next year and expressed
commitment to further elevate the friendly relations by promoting cooperation
in the field of education and tourism," read the statement.
According to the Embassy, the two foreign ministers also underlined
the importance of cooperation in international forums in the agendas of shared
interest, such as, promoting multilateralism, addressing climate change and implementing
the sustainable development goals.
FM Dr. Deuba appreciated Minister Joly for taking
initiative of convening Women Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Canada which she
believed would be an important platform of deliberations on key contemporary
issues impacting women and promoting their participation and empowerment in shaping
of the agendas. Dr. Deuba is in Canada leading the Nepali delegation to the
Women Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the invitation of her Canadian counterpart
Joly. The meeting that began on Wednesday will conclude on Friday.
On the occasion, FM Dr. Deuba invited Foreign Minister of
Canada Joly for an official visit to Nepal coinciding with the 60th
year of diplomatic relations next year.
She was accompanied in the meeting by Ambassador of Nepal
to Canada, Bharat Raj Paudyal, and other officials from the Embassy while FM
Joly's delegation included senior officials of the Global Affairs Canada.
Meanwhile, speaking at a programme organised by the Embassy
on the occasion of the Constitution Day and National Day of Nepal, FM Dr. Deuba
said that the empowering effect of the constitution can now be seen in greater
participation and representation of women and other sections of Nepali society
in the public life. She highlighted the 33 per cent of the seats in the federal
parliament and provincial assemblies and almost 41 per cent of the seats in the
local levels are represented by women, as the Embassy informed. .
She also highlighted
the background of Canada-Nepal cooperation and invited to utilize the
foundation already built for greater engagements to promote investment in
Nepali hydro-energy sector between the two governments and business sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Parliamentary Secretary of the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Robert Oliphant complimented Nepal for
the progress made in democratic transition, peace, and women’s empowerment and
expressed his confidence that the two countries would continue to work together
for enhancing cooperation in mutually beneficial areas of trade, tourism, and
investment.
Likewise, Ambassador
Paudyal talked about the cordial and friendly state of Nepal-Canada bilateral
relations and expressed the hope that it would continue to grow and prosper in
the future as the two countries prepare to celebrate the 60th year
of diplomatic relations next year.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 September 2024.
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