KATHMANDU, July 24: A senior Australian government delegation has concluded a three-day visit to Nepal, reaffirming bilateral ties and exploring new areas of cooperation in trade, investment, education, climate action and sustainable development.
The delegation was led by Sarah Storey, First Assistant Secretary of the South and Central Asia Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
During the visit, Storey co-chaired the Third Nepal-Australia Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) with Nepal’s Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai. She also co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) Committee with Industry, Commerce and Supplies Secretary Narayan Prasad Sharma Duwadee, aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
Education minister, Japanese envoy discuss expanding education...
According to the Australian Embassy, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral relations and advancing shared interests in regional and multilateral forums. Australia also acknowledged the contribution of the Nepali diaspora in Australia in strengthening people-to-people ties through their skills, entrepreneurship and investment.
During her visit, Storey also met Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal and Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle.
She attended a reception with Nepali alumni of Australian universities and interacted with students, academics, youth leaders and foreign policy experts at Tribhuvan University, where she spoke on the future of Australia-Nepal relations.
“Our shared commitment to democratic principles and the rules-based order is a key pillar of our relationship and provides a strong foundation for working together to advance our shared interests,” Storey said.
Storey also visited the Living Mountain Lab at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), where she highlighted Australia’s support for regional cooperation in natural resource management, climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
The Australian Embassy said the visit reflected the growing momentum in Australia-Nepal relations and the potential for broader cooperation in the years ahead.
