KATHMANDU, March 8: Foreign policy experts have stressed the need to articulate a clear foreign policy taking into account the national interests. They have also outlined the need for Nepal to adopt a more pro-active approach to diplomacy and far-sighted foreign policy.

Experts said so at a programme organized by the Center for Diplomacy and Development with the theme, ‘Emerging Challenges and Opportunities of Nepal's Foreign Policy’ in Kathmandu.

Presenting his views, the keynote speaker of the event former Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, Gyanchandra Acharya, argued that Nepal should leverage the economic benefits out of the multi-lateral cooperation Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a China promoted strategic move that Nepal officially joined in 2017.

Stating that Nepal was in a driver’s seat, the diplomat spoke of the need to protect nation’s sovereignty and integrity and maintaining an independent foreign policy as well as delicate balance with our neighboring countries and other powerful western countries.

Researcher and political analyst Geja Sharma Wagle pointed out the need that Nepal focused a clear, coherent, comprehensive and national interest-based foreign policy. Thus he, argued, that Nepal should redefine its foreign policy based on national consensus.

Centre’s Founder President, Mohan Krishna Shrestha, a former Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, voiced for action-oriented programmes to meet the growing challenges emanating from depravity, climate change, terrorism, human rights violations and refugees among others.

He also pointed out the need for the effective implementation of the economic diplomacy that our government has adopted as a part of its development strategy.

Present at the programme were the Nepali's newly appointed Ambassador to Canada Bhrigu Dhungana and to Kuwait, Durga Prasad Bhandari, heads of the foreign diplomatic missions in Nepal as well as diplomats including from European Union, South Korea and North Korea and scholars who questioned and commented on the papers presented by the think tanks.

Centre is a non-profit think tank formed to facilitate diplomacy and development of the country.

The Centre that routinely holds talks and interaction programmes and offers thoughtful inputs on the issues pertaining to diplomacy and development of the country, also honours people from all walks of life for their notable achievements and contributions in various sectors.

RSS Journalist Basnet honoured
Towards this, the Centre, in recognition to the audacious feat achieved by the members of First Women Journalists Everest Expedition-2018–Rosha Basnet from the National News Agency (RSS), Rojita Buddharcharya of Nepal Television and Deuralee Chamling, a freelancer and their climbing leader 13th times Everest summiteer, Phurba Tenzing Sherpa feted them.

The team had scaled Mt Everest on May 23, 2018 with the slogan ‘Unified voice for equity’ with an objective to advance the cause of gender equity.  

 
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