Kathmandu, May 26: With the formation of the new government under Prime Minister Balen Shah, the arrival of foreign diplomats in Nepal has intensified. However, contrary to their expectations, Prime Minister Shah has so far refrained from holding one-on-one meetings with foreign envoys.
According to the US Embassy in Kathmandu, US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers is scheduled to arrive in Nepal on Saturday for a three-day visit. She is expected to be the highest-ranking American diplomat to visit Nepal since the current government came to power.
However, it’s not clear about whether US envoy requested one-on-one meeting with PM Shah. According to media sources, Ms Rogers will attend a special ceremony to be organized at the Kathmandu embassy to welcome Mike Harker who scaled Mt Everest on May 20, the first US diplomat to successfully ascending the world’s tallest mountain.
Earlier, on April 20, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Sameer Paul Kapur visited Nepal. A week after his visit, Sergio Gore, Special Envoy for South and Central Asia under US President Donald Trump, also arrived in Nepal. But, Prime Minister Shah did not meet either of the visiting American officials. It remains uncertain whether he will meet Under Secretary Rogers, though she is expected to hold talks with Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal.
Senior American officials visiting Nepal have so far met Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle and Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal.
Following mounting pressure, Prime Minister Shah recently held a collective meeting with diplomats stationed in Nepal at Singha Durbar. However, in the two months since the government’s formation, he has not held formal meetings with ambassadors or other visiting envoys from India, China, the United States, or other countries.
Meanwhile, a five-member delegation led by Zhao Peng, Vice Chairman of China’s Xizang Autonomous Regional Government, arrived in Kathmandu on Monday. Sources said the possibility of a meeting between the Chinese delegation and Prime Minister Shah is also low.
Instead, the Prime Minister’s Office said Shah is scheduled to hold a collective meeting with ambassadors of European Union member states at Singha Durbar today.
Meanwhile, responding to questions regarding the Prime Minister’s possible India visit, government spokesperson and Education Minister Sasmita Pokharel said the government is currently focused on achieving targets set for its first 100 days, adding that the India visit would take place at an appropriate time.
Prime Minister Shah has been viewed as relatively slow in diplomatic engagement, and attention now turns to how his government will shape its foreign policy outreach in the coming days. #Nepal #Diplomacy
