Kathmandu, Oct. 8
Minister for
Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal held bilateral talks with Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Australia Penny Wong in Melbourne on Thursday.
Talking in the
context of shared climate vulnerabilities, FM Khanal urged Australia to utilise
its international leadership role, including the upcoming COP31 co-presidency,
to highlight the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the fragile
Himalayan ecosystem.
He also
underscored the need for enhanced bilateral partnership in climate adaptation,
early warning systems, disaster preparedness, and building climate-resilient
infrastructure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed in a statement.
During the
bilateral talks, the two ministers reviewed the state of Nepal-Australia
bilateral relations, and expressed satisfaction over the close, longstanding
and cordial ties between the two nations.
On the occasion,
Minister Wong announced an additional AUD 15 million (about Rs. 1.6 billion) in
Australian assistance dedicated to relief and early recovery efforts,
supplementing the AUD 11 million previously committed for emergency response
operations.
Minister Khanal said
that such solidarity in times of crisis reflects the enduring goodwill between
the two countries.
According to the
MoFA, the two leaders also discussed avenues to deepen educational cooperation,
exploring initiatives such as the establishment of Australian-accredited
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes. Emphasizing
the vital contributions of Nepali students and the broader diaspora to
Australia’s multicultural fabric and economy, Minister Khanal requested favourable
considerations for Nepali students under recent student visa policy revisions.
They also
explored multifaceted avenues to elevate bilateral partnership, with particular
focus on trade and foreign direct investment, technology transfer, renewable
energy, sustainable agriculture, tourism promotion, labour mobility, and the
establishment of direct air connectivity between Nepal and Australia.
Minister Wong
reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to further strengthening its partnership with
Nepal and welcomed continued collaboration across priority sectors.
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