Nepal, Saudi Arabia to sign air connectivity agreement soon: Ambassador Mnikhr

Kathmandu, Aug. 27

Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Nepal Fahd bin Mohammed bin Mnikhr said that an air services agreement was expected to be signed soon to expand direct air connectivity between Nepal and Saudi Arabia.

In a meeting with President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Anjan Shrestha in Kathmandu, he expressed confidence on Thursday that improved air connectivity would help further expand tourism, trade, investment and people-to-people relations between the two countries.

According to Mnikhr, Saudi Arabia was interested in further expanding its economic relations with Nepal, the FNCCI informed in a statement.

He expressed interest in the potential for Saudi investment and cooperation in sectors such as hydropower and tourism in Nepal, and said he would take necessary initiatives to make bilateral economic relations more dynamic.

FNCCI said that the meeting discussed further strengthening Nepal–Saudi economic relations and expanding cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and energy.

President Shrestha and Ambassador Mnikhr discussed expanding Nepal–Saudi trade and investment cooperation, strengthening relations between the private sectors of the two countries, and identifying and pursuing new economic opportunities.

Shrestha stressed the need to translate Nepal’s foreign relations into economic opportunities. He said economic diplomacy should deliver tangible results by opening new markets for Nepali businesses, attracting foreign investment, promoting tourism and connecting Nepali products with international markets.

Stating that Nepal should make use of the potential to export electricity and information technology services alongside traditional goods, Shrestha said Nepali products such as tea, coffee, herbs and handicrafts could be exported to Saudi Arabia.

He also urged the ambassador to take the necessary initiative with the Saudi Chambers to increase cooperation between Saudi businesses and Nepali businesses, including business-to-business (B2B) collaboration.

In response, Ambassador Mnikhr pledged to provide support from his side to strengthen both government-to-government (G2G) and B2B relations between the two countries.

Published in The Rising Nepal on 28 August 2026.