Curbing Wasteful Foreign Trips

The government has introduced stricter policies governing foreign travel by civil servants. From now on, ministries, commissions and government departments must submit requests to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers for approval before any employee travels abroad. Employees whose trips have not been pre-approved will be prohibited from traveling abroad. Those returning from study tours, training programs, meetings, seminars, workshops or conferences must share the outcomes with their colleagues within five working days of returning to work. The government says the sole purpose of these changes is to bring order, reduce costs and increase accountability regarding official foreign travel. Statistics show that a decision of this nature was indeed necessary. From 2021 to 2025, more than 56,269 public officials and government employees traveled abroad. The number increased sharply from 3,787 in 2021 to 13,557 in 2025. In fact, 9,528 officials went abroad in 2022, followed by 16,105 in 2023 and 13,292 in 2024. On average, more than 11,000 government employees traveled abroad each year during this five-year period. When such a large number of officials are involved, the matter deserves closer scrutiny. Officials should not be allowed to travel overseas without a clear and legitimate purpose. Government employees do need to participate in international negotiations, undergo technical training, engage in policy discussions, attend specialized programs and take part in exchange programs abroad. Exposure to more sophisticated systems and management practices can contribute to more efficient public administration and better public services.

For years, however, questions have been raised about whether government agencies properly assess the value of such trips before nominating officials. Some overseas assignments clearly benefit the country. Others, however, can look more like expensive, taxpayer-funded excursions. The public often has no idea what happens after officials return from a conference in Singapore, training in Europe or a workshop elsewhere. Did the official introduce a new system? Did the ministry adopt a useful practice? Did the trip improve public services? Too often, nobody follows up on these questions. The new approval system could bring some much-needed discipline. Central scrutiny means ministries will have to explain who is traveling, why that person needs to go and whether the trip is worth the public money being spent. It could also prevent agencies from sending several officials to similar programs simply because an invitation has arrived or funding is available. The requirement to share knowledge within five days is another welcome provision. Sending an official abroad should not mean that whatever they learn remains with them. If an employee picks up a useful idea or practice, the wider institution should benefit. If implemented properly, this could turn foreign travel from an individual opportunity into an institutional investment.

But the new system also has a possible downside. If central approval becomes too rigid, it could create delays and place too much administrative power in the Prime Minister’s Office. Some international meetings and negotiations are arranged at short notice, and excessive paperwork could make it harder for Nepal to respond quickly. The government should therefore establish clear approval criteria and reasonable deadlines. The goal should be to eliminate unnecessary travel, rather than create additional bureaucratic hurdles. Approval alone will no longer be sufficient. The government should publish a list of official foreign trips, including details such as the purpose of the journey, costs, sources of funding, participants and outcomes. Each ministry should also assess whether officials actually applied the knowledge and practices they gained after returning home. Ultimately, the government’s decision is a positive reform step, provided it helps end the culture of excessive foreign travel by bureaucrats at taxpayers’ expense.