Kathmandu, Oct 5 – The first meeting of Nepal-Canada bilateral consultation mechanism was held at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada in Ottawa Friday morning.
Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi and Assistant Deputy Minister, Global Affairs Canada, Dr. Donald Bobiash, led their respective delegations in the meeting, according to a press release issued by Embassy of Nepal in Canada.
The two sides reviewed the status of Nepal-Canada bilateral relations and deliberated on the issues of mutual interests. They agreed on the need to enhance Nepal-Canada relations with more engagements in the areas including trade, investment, tourism, agriculture, migration, education, climate change, technology transfer, and visa and consular matters, among others.
The Nepali side shared with the Canadian delegation the development priorities of Nepal government while the Canadian side expressed their readiness to support Nepal’s development endeavours including through enhanced economic partnership.
Both sides agreed to maintain regular contacts at different levels with a view to further strengthening the bilateral relations. Recalling the historic meeting held between the Prime Ministers of the two countries on the sideline of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the two sides discussed on exchanging the high level visits in the days ahead.
They also exchanged views on the need to work collaboratively at multilateral forums including the United Nations.
Also present at the meeting from Nepali side were Ambassador of Nepal to Canada, Kali Prasad Pokhrel, Joint Secretary and Head of Europe-America Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ghanshyam Bhandari, Counsellor at the Embassy of Nepal, Prakash Adhikari, and Section Officer at the Foreign Ministry Ms. Aruna Ghising.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing the bilateral consultation mechanism between the two countries was signed by the Prime Ministers of Nepal and Canada in New York on 24 September 2018.
The next meeting of the mechanism will be held in Kathmandu.
Dr. Bobiash, leader of the Canadian delegation, hosted a luncheon in honor of Foreign Secretary Bairagi and the visiting delegation, added the press release.
