MoFA working on country-specific action plans

Kathmandu, Aug. 4

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has said that it is working on country-specific strategic action plans.

Currently, the divisions within the ministry are engaged in preparing strategic action plans tailored to individual countries, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said speaking at a meeting of the Ministry-Level Development Problem-Solving Committee (MDAC) held at the MoFA on Tuesday.

"We are strengthening our bilateral strategies. Through these strategies, we will work to ensure that Nepal derives the maximum possible benefit from its relations with each respective country," he said.

According to him, the ministry is identifying priority sectors for engagement with individual countries and incorporating them into its strategic planning.

However, FM Khanal noted that the absence of accurate data on the number of Nepalis living abroad has created difficulties in policy formulation, planning and implementation. He stressed the need to launch a dedicated campaign to establish reliable figures on the Nepali diaspora.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Gunakar Bhatta, Vice-Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and representatives from various government ministries.

 

Aid, trade are key pillars of prosperity

Earlier, on Tuesday, speaking at a programme organised by the Economic Diplomacy Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), FM Khanal said that Nepal needs to further expand its participation in, and benefits from, international assistance and trade as they are key pillars for attaining economic prosperity.

"The key issue is how we can further enhance these important aspects of international assistance and trade," he said.

According to his secretariat, FM Khanal said Nepal must move ahead with clearly defined priorities, taking into account the challenges and constraints arising from the current geopolitical environment.

Noting that Nepal has been receiving zero-tariff facilities from various countries under its Least Developed Country (LDC) status but has failed to reap the expected benefits, Minister Khanal stressed the need to review where opportunities had been missed in the past.

"We have been facing challenging circumstances for a long time. Now we need to emerge from that situation and identify the areas we should prioritise at present," he said.

According to him, attempting to work in all sectors simultaneously and spreading limited resources too thinly would not produce the desired results. So, there is a need for clarity on the priorities that Nepal's diplomatic missions abroad should focus on.

FM Khanal also said that in the evolving global landscape, political influence is increasingly linked to economic strength. He stressed the need to formulate policies and strategic plans accordingly and ensure their effective implementation.

The programme was attended by the President of the Association of Former Career Ambassadors of Nepal (AFCAN) and former ambassador Bhagirath Basnet, along with other members of the association.

On the occasion, former Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya presented a paper on international assistance, while former ambassador Deepak Dhital presented a paper on trade. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal on 5 August 2026.