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President Ram Chandra Paudel's recent visit to Switzerland and the ongoing visit to the Federal Republic of Germany are expected to be instrumental in further consolidating and renewing Nepal's bilateral ties with these European nations.

Germany offered a huge welcome and hospitality to the President and his delegation, reflecting its goodwill towards Nepal. 

The President has been on an official visit to Germany since June 15, 2024 at the friendly invitation of his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The two held a bilateral meeting on Monday and Germany's President assured of much support to Nepal. 

The two Heads of State reportedly reviewed the bilateral relations being based on development support, trade, tourism, investment, and vocational training in a very cordial atmosphere. President Paudel encouraged Germany to support Nepal's agriculture, tourism, and water resources sectors, highlighting them as the development priorities of Nepal.

The President departed for Germany after completing his visit to Switzerland.

President Paudel also extended his invitation to his German counterpart for an official visit to Nepal. The year of Germany's unification coincided with the year of Nepal's restoration of democracy, he recalled.

The visit is expected to contribute additionally to enhancing Nepal's diplomatic relations in the entire Europe.

Political analyst Dr Chandra Dev Bhatta said the Head of State's visit to Germany after a long gap should be considered an important one. "Of late, Nepal's official relations with Europe have not been consolidated as per the expectations and this high-level visit will help address this gap."

He advised that Nepal should take measures to promote its relations with Germany which is the world's third economic power and the most powerful nation in Europe.

"Nepal's presence in Germany and its relations with it have to be sustained as it is the world's third largest economy and a powerful European nation," he added.

In connection with this visit, President Paudel held bilateral talks on June 12 with President of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd in Bern before this.

Foreign affairs expert Dinesh Bhattarai also opined that the high-level visit from Nepal after a long time will help further strengthen the climate of trust between the two countries. "Germany is Nepal's close friend. Nepal has special relations with the socialist leaders and party of Germany. Willy Brandt, the former German Chancellor and the leader of the Social Democratic Party and Nepal's popular leader BP Koirala were close friends," he added.

Stating that the visit of the Head of State in itself is meaningful and significant, former ambassador Bhattarai expressed the belief that this visit would contribute to expanding the areas of cooperation in future.

According to him, Nepal can take notable benefit from Germany through export of handicraft goods and carpet, among other goods as well as through tourism promotion.

This is the first time since 1986 that a Head of State from Nepal has made an official visit to Germany.

Dr Suresh Chandra Chalise, the foreign affairs expert to the President, expressed the belief that this visit taking place at the Head of State-level from Nepal after 38 years would contribute towards further strengthening the bilateral ties between the two countries.

He stated that the President's visit to the world's third largest economy and Europe's influential country, Germany, would help in increasing investment and trade in Nepal.

Nepal and Germany established diplomatic relations on April 4, 1958. Since then, the ties between the two countries have progressed based on friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amrit Bahadur Rai said that the visits taking place at various levels between the two countries would assist in further deepening the mutual relations.

"We are confident that this visit at the Head of State level will contribute in bringing German investment and technology into Nepal. Germany has made a good deal of study and practices on adaptation to safeguard from the effects of climate change, and there are many things that Nepal can learn from this as well," he said.

Bhishma Raj Ojha/RSS

President Ram Chandra Paudel reached Berlin on Saturday.  He paid an official visit to Germany at the cordial invitation of President of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Ambassador of Nepal to Germany Ram Kaji Khadka and senior officials from the Federal Foreign Office and the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany welcomed the President and members of his entourage upon arrival at Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport, according to the Embassy of Nepal in Berlin.

President Paudel is accompanied by his spouse Sabita Paudel, Foreign Affairs Expert Dr Suresh Chandra Chalise, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, Secretary at the Office of the President Dilliram Sharma and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Office of the President of Nepal.

This is the first official visit from Nepal at the level of the Head of State to Germany since 1986.

Official talks are scheduled to be held between President Paudel and the President of Germany on Monday, the Embassy has said.

Diplomatic relations were established between Nepal and Germany in 1958.

President Poudel is scheduled to return home on June 19.

Nepal and Germany on Tuesday signed financial and technical cooperation agreements on Euros 56,000,000.

Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Shreekrishna Nepal and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal Dr Thomas Prinz signed the agreements on behalf of their respective governments.

The grant was the sum pledged by the Federal Republic of Germany in 2022.

The financial cooperation agreement shall support the private and public sector to expand energy transmission lines, to promote solar energy, gender equality and to improve maternal care and childcare in remote areas in Nepal, reads a statement issued by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kathmandu.  

The technical cooperation agreement focuses to support gender equality and social inclusion in Nepal and local and provincial economic development - especially in Western Nepal (together with the European Union and Finland).

Moreover, the Agreement shall promote renewable energy and energy efficiency, strengthen quality infrastructure for sustainable economic development and support the health sector strategy in Nepal, according to the statement.

The Federal Republic of Germany has consistently contributed to Nepal’s development efforts in diverse ways over the years. It has been actively contributing to the fields of energy, health, good governance as well as aiding Nepal in meeting its Sustainable Development Goals. Through this grant, the German Government targets to further enhance its commitment and continue its valuable support to the people of Nepal.

“Our friendship with Nepal is deeply cherished. Germany has been supporting Nepal’s hydropower and energy endeavors, among others, since long. Through collaboration and support, we aim to contribute to its continued progress and prosperity,” said Ambassador Dr Thomas Prinz on the occasion, the statement reads.

The year 2023 marked the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Germany.

Nepal and Germany have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDoI) on the Skilled Labor Migration and Knowledge Exchange at the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Germany on Tuesday, the Embassy of Nepal in Berlin, Germany, stated in a press release, shared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here today.

Ambassador of Nepal to Germany Ram Kaji Khadka and Michael van der Cammen, Director, International Affairs, German Federal Employment Agency, signed the JDoI on behalf of their respective governments in the presence of Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security Sharat Singh Bhandari and Leonie Gebers, State Secretary (Deputy Minister) of Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany.

The singing of the JDoI was preceded by a bilateral meeting between the high-level Nepali delegation led by Minister Bhandari and the high-level German delegation led by the State Secretary (Deputy Minister) Gebers.

On the occasion, the leaders of the two delegations shared views, primarily, on the agenda of Nepal-Germany bilateral relations, skilled labor migration, Nepal's commitment to legal migration, workers' welfare and social security, German language and vocational training, and circular migration.

During the meeting, the two leaders expressed happiness over the growing relations between the two countries in recent years and stated that the signing of the JDoI would be the first step in the roadmap towards fair and legal labor migration from Nepal to Germany.

Minister Bhandari also expressed Nepal's willingness to collaborate with the friendly Government of Germany in all sectors of mutual benefits.

State Secretary Gebers also stated that the signing of the JDoI would open the way forward for institutional arrangement in immigrating Nepali skilled workers as per the need of the German job market. She also highlighted the positive sides of the recent German Skilled Immigration Act which has eased the process of recruiting foreign skilled workers in Germany.

The Nepali delegation led by Minister Bhandari included Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Kewal Prasad Bhandari, the Ambassador of Nepal to Germany, and other officials from the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy of Nepal, Berlin.

The German delegation led by Gebers included the high-level officials from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Federal Employment Agency and other relevant Departments of Germany.

Meanwhile, on October 9, 2023, the Nepali delegation held discussions with the delegation of International Labor Organization (ILO) Berlin Bureau led by Dr Annette Niederfranke, Director at the Embassy of Nepal, Berlin. During the meeting, various labor-related issues including welfare of workers, measures against the exploitation and trafficking of workers, inclusive foreign employment and reintegration of migrant workers in the country of origin were discussed.

In the afternoon, the Nepali delegation participated in an interaction program with the Nepali diaspora living in Germany organized by the Embassy.

The Nepali delegation is holding a meeting with the representatives of private sectors of Germany today.

The delegation is scheduled to leave Germany for Nepal tomorrow.