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The government and major political parties in the country have reached an agreement on creating an environment conducive for the upcoming March 5 elections to the House of Representatives.

The agreement was reached during a discussion held at the call of President Ram Chandra Paudel at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Sheetal Niwas, on Tuesday afternoon, between Prime Minister Sushila Karki, Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML Chair and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) Coordinator and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

According to the President's Press Advisor Kiran Pokharel, an agreement has also been reached to hold detailed discussions later to create an environment for elections. 

"The election has been announced to provide a solution to the serious and sensitive situation in the country. Keeping this seriousness in mind, it is the responsibility of all of us to make the elections successful," Press Advisor Pokharel quoted President Paudel as having said in the meeting.

On the occasion, President Paudel also urged the top leaders of the three major political parties, including the Prime Minister, to make the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5 a success. 

Elections are the only suitable option to resolve the current complex circumstances facing the country.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki, and top guns of three major political parties jointly called on President Ram Chandra Paudel today.

PM Karki, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Communist Party Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal are holding the meeting with the Head of the State, according to the President's secretariat.

It is the first time that the top leaders and PM Karki held a joint meeting with the President after the September 8-9 Gen Z movement.

They are discussing the current political situation including the March 5 election.

As Nepal prepares for its March 5 parliamentary elections, both the United States and China have recalled their ambassadors from Kathmandu. 

Chinese Ambassador Chen Song is returning to Beijing this week, marking the end of his tenure as China’s 22nd ambassador to Nepal. Chen assumed office on January 8, 2023, during a period of active engagement between Kathmandu and Beijing, particularly in areas of infrastructure development, connectivity, and political cooperation.

Before his departure, Ambassador Chen paid courtesy calls on Prime Minister Sushila Karkiand other senior government officials. The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu hosted a farewell reception on Sunday, December 21, in his honor.

In his farewell remarks, Ambassador Chen said he had developed a deep emotional connection with Nepal and its people during his posting. “Before I came to Nepal, I was a supporter of China–Nepal relations. Three years later, I can proudly say that I have become a lifelong friend of the Nepalese and Chinese people,” he said.

Meanwhile, the United States has also recalled its ambassador to Nepal, as part of a broader reshuffling of U.S. diplomatic personnel under President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy framework. According to the Associated Press, nearly 30 career diplomats have been recalled from ambassadorial and senior embassy posts worldwide as Washington seeks to realign its diplomatic corps with the administration’s priorities.

Africa has been the most affected region, with ambassadors recalled from 13 countries, including Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, and Uganda, according to Politico. The Asia-Pacific region follows, with diplomatic changes affecting six countries: Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Additional recalls have taken place in Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Western Hemisphere.

In South Asia, both Nepal and Sri Lanka are among the countries affected by the U.S. diplomatic changes. The U.S. Ambassador to Nepal, Ambassador Thompson, arrived in Kathmandu in 2022. Prior to his posting, he served as Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, where he oversaw U.S. policy toward the region. A member of the Senior Foreign Service, he has more than 25 years of experience in U.S. diplomacy.

The Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy posts as it moves to reshape the U.S. diplomatic posture abroad with personnel deemed fully supportive of President Donald Trump’s “America First” priorities, according to Associate Press. 

Africa is the continent most affected by the removals, with ambassadors from 13 countries being removed: Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda, according to Politico. 

Second is the Asia-Pacific region, with ambassadorial changes coming to six countries: Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam affected.

Four countries in Europe (Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia) are affected; as are two each in the Middle East (Algeria and Egypt); South Asia (Nepal and Sri Lanka); and the western hemisphere (Guatemala and Suriname), according to Politico.