KATHMANDU, Feb 28: A book dealing with foreign policy challenges of Nepal authored by M R Josse was released in the capital on Thursday.
Former vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission, Guna Nidhi Sharma released the book titled ‘Nepal’s Quest for Survival in a Challenging Geopolitical Setting’ amidst a special function held in the capital.
Addressing the book release function organized by Nepal Foundation for Advanced Studies—the publisher of the book--, Sharma said the book is very comprehensive, insightful for all people including political scientists, journalists and policy makers alike.
Commenting on the book, former foreign secretary Madan Kumar Bhattarai said the title itself is suggestive.
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While stating that the book rightly acknowledges the fact that Nepal could survive itself amid hostile circumstances with its increased international engagements including with bilateral and multilateral organizations, Bhattarai argued that the book has highlighted a number of hidden aspects of Nepal’s major foreign policy events.
Bhattarai also argued that the book could have further rich in its content had it also chosen to dwell on the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) and Indo-Pacific Strategy as well as Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant.
Former foreign secretary and ambassador Kedar Bhakta Shrestha said that Josse had contributed to the recurring foreign policy discourse in Nepal on the theme of the survival of the country.
He highlighted various major policy decisions such as Nepal’s membership to various international organizations including the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and sending back Indian troops stationed in Nepali territory that helped Nepal to realize Nepal’s quest for survival.
Head of Master in International Relations and Diplomacy (MIRD) program at Tribhuvan University Prof Khadga KC said the book could be an important resource for Nepali scholars to understand how the country could realize its quest for survival in the past.
He, however, argued that Nepal’s current quest is not for survival but for prosperity, development and international exposure.
A former Editor-in-Chief of the state-owned Rising Nepal Daily,
Josse served as Nepal’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
As a columnist to various newspapers, Josse has to his credit thousands of published articles and columns on politics and regional and international affairs.
