-Sharachchandra Bhandary
Kathmandu, December 7 : The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Sunday (December 6 ) unveiled the Foreign Policy of Nepal, 2077. The Policy approved by the Government of Nepal spells out, in a coherent manner, the norms, values and perspectives of Nepal’s external engagements, according to the Ministry. The ‘Nepal’s Foreign Policy-2077’ approved by the cabinet meeting held on October 20 was unveiled with an objective of promoting overall national interests by strengthening foreign relations based on sovereignty, mutual benefits and respect through an independent and balanced foreign policy.
The Foreign Policy is aimed at promoting and strengthening bilateral ties with the neighbouring and all other countries on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual benefits and respects, promotion of national interests by increasing Nepal’s identity and representation in the international and regional forums, establishment of world peace, disarmament, protection and promotion of human rights, achieving sustainable development goals, lessening climate change impacts, controlling terrorism and cybercrime, effective role play in multilateral forums for landlocked nations, establishing cooperation for building a rule-based just, inclusive and fair world order, and promoting regional cooperation, peace and collaboration.
Contribution to the country’s socio-economic transformation through economic diplomacy, protection of Nepali community involved in profession, business and employment and promotion of Nepal’s soft power through Nepal’s extraordinary natural beauties, unique and affluent civilization, cultures, lifestyle, thoughts, diversity, art, language, literature and sports are special priorities of the Foreign Policy.
While maintaining a balanced foreign policy on the basis of principles of Panchasheel, the political, economic and cultural ties with the neighbouring countries would be strengthened, it is stated. Likewise, country’s foreign policy operation is also based on the Charter of the United Nations, treaties, agreements and bilateral, regional and multilateral commitments and declarations as Nepal as a party state, Vienna Convention, international laws, exercise and the established norms and values.
The new Foreign Policy has given importance for the promotion of overall national interests through mutual benefits, arrangement of border security, resolving border disputes in a diplomatic and peaceful manner on the basis of historical agreements and treaties, facts and evidence, not allowing Nepal’s territory to be used against the neighbouring countries, promotion of bilateral, trilateral and multilateral partnership on the issues of common interests, and easy and accessible use of freedom of transit to be get as a landlocked country. Similarly, revision and amendment to bilateral relations as per the national interest, making new agreements as per the need and keeping the national interest at the topmost in course of signing agreements related to distribution of the use of national resources are also the key priorities of the new Foreign Policy.
Stressing the need of central role of the United Nations on multilateral diplomacy, the Foreign Policy stated to contribute to the promotion of world peace, human rights and sustainable development, end of arm race, collaborating with the world community for disarmament and destruction of nuclear, chemical and other arms.
The Foreign Policy released by Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali mentioned to play active roles for the building a rule-based just, inclusive and fair world order so that all nations would sincerely carry out their international obligations on the basis of universal equality.
It has laid emphasis on constructive and active role in regional and sub-regional forums like SAARC and BIMSTEC and to enhance cooperation between SAARC and BIMSTEC forums to take advantage of the both by making South Asia and Southeast Asia economically and socially connected. ‘Track two Diplomacy’ would be used as per the need for the discussions and suggestions on the issues of creating smooth environment, distinctive and complex diplomacy and national interests for a regular diplomatic mechanism.
The integrated Foreign Policy unveiled for the first time in Nepali history has been taken as a document to transform Nepal’s security, stability, unity, integrity and people’s aspirations into reality. The government has also formed a monitoring and evaluation committee under the chair of Foreign Affairs Minister Gyawali and coordination committee under leadership of Foreign Secretary, Bharat Raj Poudyal, to achieve the goals of the policy. RSS
