KATHMANDU, July 21: Nepal and Rwanda have established formal bilateral diplomatic relations today. With this, the number of countries with which Nepal has diplomatic ties has reached 161. 

Ambassador Mr Durga Prasad Bhattarai, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, and Ambassador Mrs Valentine Rugwabiza, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations, signed a Joint Communiqué to this effect at a brief ceremony in New York, this morning. Together, they signed a joint letter informing the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, about this development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated. 

On the occasion, the two Ambassadors noted that it was a historic day towards bringing the two countries closer bilaterally and also exchanged views on various measures to further deepen and expand the scope of mutual cooperation in the future. The two countries are already working closely at the United Nations and other multilateral forums. 

Located in the African Great Lakes region, a few degrees south of the equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda has over 11 million people in an area of around 26338 square kilometers, with Kigali as its capital. Rwanda is widely admired today for having made phenomenal advances in its economy and governance following the peace process since 1994. Its per capita income is estimated at $2090 (PPP) in 2017, compared to $416 (PPP) in 1994. 

Both Nepal and Rwanda are least developed and landlocked developing countries, and members of the Group of 77 as well as the Non-Aligned Movement, and are the sixth and fourth biggest contributors of troops and police to the UN peacekeeping respectively. Rwanda joined the United Nations on 18 September 1962 following its independence from Belgium in July 1962. RSS

 
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