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Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Wednesday. During the meeting held in Baluwatar, the duo discussed the presidential election. With the date of the presidential election approaching nearer, the meeting between Prime Minister Dahal and Chinese Ambassador Chen is seen as meaningful. Prior to this meeting, the Chinese Ambassador had also met CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba. According to a Baluwatar source, Chinese Ambassador Chen had discussed implementation of the BRI project, Nepal’s infrastructure development, Nepal-China relations and mutual interest with Prime Minister Dahal on February 16. On the occasion, Prime Minister Dahal said that the agreements signed earlier with China will be implemented effectively. Ambassador Song said that China will always be with Nepal on the path of stability, development and prosperity. China, India, America and the European Union have been showing interest in the presidential election.

Chairman of CPN (Unified Socialist) and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has urged one and all to pay special attention for the preservation of unique festivals and cultures of different communities in the country. In a message of best wishes on the occasion of Gyalpo Lhosar today, the former PM has said that festivals and cultures traditionally marked by different communities have culturally enriched our country. Chairman Nepal further stated that such festivals should be promoted since they unite ethnically, linguistically and culturally diverse Nepali society. Wishing to all Nepalis at home and abroad on the occasion of Gyalpo Lhosar, Chairman Nepal has said that development and prosperity obtained from all’s common efforts would contribute in nation building.  

South-Asian Parliamentary Delegation from the German Bundestag, the German House of Representatives, is on a four-day official visit to Nepal from February 19-22. The six-member parliamentary delegation comprises of parliamentarian Renate Künast, Andreas Larem, Paul Lehrieder, Ria Schröder, Dr Malte Kaufmann and Dr André Hahn, read a statement issued by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kathmandu. “This visit after the pandemic will further strengthen parliamentary relations between Nepal and Germany, contributing to the long-standing bilateral friendship and cooperation that has lasted for more than 60 years,” Renate Künast, head of the delegation. The delegation will discuss a wide range of topics, including economic transformation of Nepal, tourism promotion, Nepal’s peace process and human rights, women empowerment, rules-based international order, agriculture and regional cooperation as well as German-Nepali development cooperation, the statement read. The members of the delegation called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Speaker of the House of Representative Devraj Ghimire, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Jwala Kumari Sah and Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal. The German parliamentary delegation also had an interaction with the members of the Federal Parliament of Nepal. Besides the official meetings, the parliamentary delegation will also have an interaction with representatives of German Development Cooperation, German NGOs working in Nepal and human rights organizations. The Delegation also plans to visit ICIMOD Knowledge Park, Nepal Vocational Academy and the Nepal Secretariat of Skills and Training (NSST), the statement further read. A visit to the rich cultural heritage of Bhaktapur and Bauddhanath is also planned during the four-day visit to Nepal.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava handed over the first tranche of 20 Kidney Dialysis Machines (KDMs) to Minister for Health and Population Padam Giri on Monday. These 20 KDMs are first of the 200 such machines that are being gifted by people and Government of India to people and Government of Nepal, read a statement issued by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu. The units include all the related equipment. The remaining consignment will be delivered in the near future. On the occasion, Ambassador Srivastava said that the long-standing development cooperation between India and Nepal, especially in the health sector, added that the gifting of these machines reflected the continued support of India as Nepal augments its health infrastructure. Minister Giri thanked the Government of India (GoI) for its continued developmental support in the Health sector, including for the Kidney Dialysis Machines, for boosting the medical facilities for the people of Nepal, the statement read. Cooperation in the Health sector is a significant aspect of India-Nepal development partnership. Major health facilities constructed under GoI grant assistance include Nepal Bharat Maitri Emergency & Trauma Centre in Kathmandu, BP Koirala Institute of Health Science in Dharan and OPD complex for Bir Hospital in Kathmandu, apart from nearly 50 health-related High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) undertaken in various districts of Nepal, the statement further read. GoI is also providing post-Earthquake Reconstruction grant assistance of USD 50 million for the construction of 132 health posts in various earthquake-affected districts of Nepal. During COVID, apart from providing vaccines under bilateral grant (over 2 million doses) and through COVAX, GoI supported Nepal in enhancing physical capacity of health institutions and supplied medical equipment like ICU beds and medical Oxygen plants, essential medicines, RT-PCR test kits PPE, Ventilators etc. GoI also provides Ambulances every year to various health institutions of Nepal. Till date, 940 ambulances have been distributed covering almost all districts of Nepal. As close neighbors, India and Nepal share wide-ranging & multi-sectoral cooperation. The gifting of these KDMs reflects the continued support of the Government of India in bolstering the Government of Nepal’s efforts to build healthy Nepal.