Kathmandu, Dec 12: Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba continued her official engagements in Brussels on Thursday. She had separate meetings with Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, and Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships at the European Commission.
During the meeting with Hoekstra, the discussions centered on the various aspects of Nepal-EU relations, focusing on climate change, the development of Nepal’s clean energy, and Nepal’s leadership on the mountain agenda.
Other issues like the disproportionate impact of climate change on Nepal and the country’s vulnerability to climate-induced disasters were also discussed the meetings. The Foreign Minister also called for the EU’s continued support for funding, technology transfer, and capacity-building for mitigation and adaptation efforts.
The discussions coincided with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Nepal-EU diplomatic relations established in 1974.
Stating that Nepal has always been in favour of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, Dr Rana appreciated the support that the European Union has been providing to Nepal.
Similarly, the Minister also urged Commissioner Hoekstra to take the initiative to remove the provisions related to the EU’s ban imposed on Nepali airlines in European skies. Furthermore, she drew the EU’s attention to the fact that Nepali citizens were facing problems in their travel to Europe due to the lack of direct flights from Nepal to Europe, calling for collaborative efforts to address this issue. #Nepal
