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Kathmandu-- Preparations have been completed for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's official visit to Spain beginning tomorrow.     

PM Oli is set to pay a visit at the friendly invitation of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for the 'International Conference on Financing for the Development of the United Nations (FFD-4)' to be held in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3.     

Leaders of governments from around the world, global and regional organisations, financial and trade institutions, businesspeople, civil society, and relevant representatives of the United Nations system will participate in this conference on financing for development.     

At the event, Nepal will advocate for raising the voice of the least developed, small, and island nations. The conference will also discuss the implementation of investment commitments made by rich countries for poor and small nations.     

Prime Minister Oli's chief political advisor, Bishnu Prasad Rima,l said that Prime Minister Oli is going to participate in this forum as it is important for promoting international cooperation for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations by the year 2030.     

Stating that the preparations for the Prime Minister's visit are complete, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri said the conference will focus on the challenges of immediate and long-term assistance and investment necessary for sustainable development by improving the global financial structure.     

Chhetri stated that the conference is of utmost importance between developed countries and developing and the least developed countries regarding sustainable development, financing for development, and particularly, development assistance, investment, and technology transfer; hence, high priority and high-level participation will be crucial.     

He shared that this would be Nepal's unique role in the context of it chairing the international coordination of least developed countries.     

During the visit, Prime Minister Oli would deliver a statement at the conference. The Prime Minister would pay a courtesy call on Spain's King Philip II and his Spanish counterpart Sanchez, as well as hold a sideline meeting with leaders of other countries of the world.     

PM Oli is leaving for Madrid via Qatar on Saturday evening to participate in the conference scheduled from June 30 to July 3. He will return home on July 4.     

It is believed that the high-level visit from Nepal would contribute to increasing investment from developed countries in Nepal and attract tourists from European countries, including Spain.

The 21-member delegation includes First Lady Radhika Shakya, PM's Chief Advisor, Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, Secretary at the Finance Ministry, Ghan Shyam Upadhyay, Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Raj Kumar Shrestha, PM Oli's Chief Personal Secretary Rajesh Bajracharya, PM's private doctor Dr Smriti Shakya, among others.     

Similarly, an additional eight people from Spain and New York would join the Nepali delegation, which includes—Nepali Ambassador to Spain, Shanil Nepal, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, Lok Bahadur Thapa, among others. RSS

Nine months ago, a rain-swollen Roshi swept away a 12-km Nepalthok-Chaukidanda section of the BP highway, a lifeline linking districts in eastern Tarai with midhill districts.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster that rendered hundreds homeless, marooned thousands of travelers headed to the Kathmandu valley from the southern plains and vice-versa for days on end while three patients died in ambulances for want of treatment. Such was the situation that several people had to be rescued via air. 

Sadly, the government appears to have forgotten about the calamitous situation altogether. 

Completed with Japanese assistance amounting to Rs 20 billion (approx) about a decade ago after 20 years of struggle, this vital link was facilitating trade with both of Nepal’s neighbors and changing the economic fortunes of districts in east Tarai as well as midhill like Mahottari, Dhanusha, Kavre, Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Okhaldhunga, Udayapur and Solukhumbu.

Bazaars and settlements located along the artery were doing brisk business by operating hotels, charging stations for electric vehicles, small industries that produced mouthwatering indigenous sweetmeats like khuwa and kurauni made using milk sourced from local farms, so on and so forth.

With the road still in bad shape, these businesses are bleeding dry, not to mention inconveniences facing lakhs of people traveling between the valley and the southern plains.

For repairing a vital lifeline that connects different parts of a country, bolsters national unity, gives a lease of life to subnational economies that contribute to the national economy big time, nine months is a pretty long time. But the government appears least bothered about repairing the artery and ensuring its full operation at the earliest. If that were not the case, it would have completed the works well before the monsoon. 

All that the government appears to have done with regard to the highway repair works during this period is build a diversion in its feeble bid to escape the wrath of a mighty Roshi and keep the movement of people and goods going, partially.

But the diversion becomes quite perilous whenever it rains. Still, a large number of people have no option except to tread the road that is quite prone to disasters like landslides and floods.

Aware of this situation, lawmakers representing Ramechhap and Sindhuli districts, among others, have drawn the attention of the government, particularly of the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, to little avail.

At the time of its construction, there were vociferous demands that the artery in question was too narrow and a wider road was necessary to connect the valley with eastern parts of the country and give the national economy a turnaround. Ironically, the government has not bothered to allocate even a penny for the repair and maintenance of this vital lifeline. 

A scarred highway reflects very poorly on the performance of a government that, critics say, has been long on rhetoric, short on action. Let the highway in bad shape be an eyeopener, prompting this administration with a comfortable majority in the parliament to perform like a well-oiled machine, on the highway and beyond.  

Following pressure from opposition parties, the government formed a probe panel to investigate the visit-visa scam. However, the move has failed to satisfy key opposition parties, including the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). These parties argue that instead of a panel led by former Chief Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi, who himself is under scrutiny by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, a parliamentary probe committee should have been formed. 

Despite these criticisms, the panel has begun its investigation, though public expectations remain low due to past failures in implementing such committees’ recommendations. Nevertheless, the panel’s formation has helped the CPN (Maoist Center) save face. For now, discussions about a potential government change have subsided, with both opposition and Nepali Congress (NC) leaders refraining from further statements. However, given past unpredictability, the situation warrants close monitoring.

Meanwhile, the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal (JSP-N), led by Upendra Yadav, has decided to withdraw its support from the KP Sharma Oli-led government, in which the Nepali Congress is a key coalition partner. While this move is unlikely to destabilize the government, the JSP-N justified its decision by citing the administration’s failure to ensure good governance, amend the constitution, and initiate economic reforms.

In parliamentary developments, the House of Representatives (HoR) has endorsed the budget for the next fiscal year, pending approval from the National Assembly. Opposition parties and independent lawmakers have protested, alleging that a significant portion of the budget has been allocated to the constituencies of top leaders from major parties.

On the political front, the RSP celebrated its third anniversary this week, with its chairperson, Rabi Lamichhane, who is currently in police custody, issuing an appeal to party cadres. The party is now focusing on expanding its activities nationwide.

The ruling CPN-UML, meanwhile, is preparing for its statute convention. Party Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has been tasked with drafting the political document, while Vice-chairperson Bishnu Poudel will handle statute-related issues, and General Secretary Shankar Pokharel will oversee organizational matters. A proposal to impose a 70-year age limit and a two-term cap for the party chair is under discussion, a contentious point, given Oli’s age (74). In a recent public statement, Oli dismissed the debate as irrelevant. Separately, the party has revoked disciplinary actions against Binda Pandey and Usha Kiran Timalsina, who had been penalized for criticizing the party’s acceptance of business donations for its office construction.

In legal developments, former prime minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, appeared before the Special Court after the CIAA filed a corruption case against him over the Patanjali land scam. Released on bail, Nepal claims the case is politically motivated, an allegation Prime Minister Oli denies.

The Election Commission is preparing for upcoming by-elections in select constituencies and local bodies. After consulting with Prime Minister Oli this week, the government is expected to announce election dates soon. Oli is also set to visit Spain starting Saturday, with a potential trip to India afterward. Notably, India has yet to extend a formal invitation to Oli, despite his over year-long tenure as prime minister, a delay that remains unexplained.

On the policy front, the Supreme Court has issued an interim order barring government agencies from imposing restrictions on ride-sharing services. Under pressure from transport syndicates, the Gandaki provincial government has paused its plan to legalize ride-sharing. The court has also urged transport entrepreneurs to avoid disruptive strikes.

In the energy sector, Nepal has withdrawn the ‘take and pay’ provision from its budget following pressure from independent power producers. This provision, related to power purchase agreements with private developers, was a last-minute concession after the Nepali Congress (NC) intervened.

Within the NC, senior leader Shekhar Koirala continues pushing party president Sher Bahadur Deuba to hold the general convention before the 2027 elections. Koirala and Gagan Kumar Thapa fear that delaying the convention until after the polls could allow Deuba, who is set to become prime minister before the elections, to influence the outcome.

In foreign affairs, Nepal has paused its evacuation plan for citizens in Israel following the Iran-Israel ceasefire. At Nepal’s request, India has assisted in repatriating Nepalis from Iran, with six out of 16 evacuees already returned. Meanwhile, around 1,000 Nepalis in Israel have registered to return, but the government has slowed the evacuation process.

Finally, Nepal and India held productive talks on security and defense cooperation, covering joint military exercises, disaster relief, and personnel exchanges. While Indo-Nepal defense ties have remained strong over the past 70 years, Nepal has also recently deepened its defense collaboration with China.

Over the past three years, the world has witnessed four major wars, each affecting Nepal to varying degrees. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The Israel-Palestine war also erupted that year following a terrorist attack. India and Pakistan engaged in a short but deadly war after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, and most recently, the Iran-US-Israel conflict unfolded. Iran and Israel have now reached a ceasefire agreement after a 12-day-long war. During this time, the United States carried out brief and targeted strikes on three Iranian sites.

As in previous conflicts, the Nepal government had to focus on the rescue of its citizens from Israel and Iran. Evacuation efforts are already underway. Two Nepali nationals have returned home, and the remaining 14 are expected soon. Responding to Nepal’s request, the Indian government also evacuated Nepali nationals along with its own. The absence of a Nepali embassy in Tehran and a lack of formal communication channels made the evacuation process particularly difficult.

During the Iran-Israel war, the Nepal government did not issue any official statement. Nepal has shared a long and cordial relationship with Israel since establishing diplomatic ties in 1960. It was, in fact, the first South Asian country to recognize Israel. Since the beginning of the Iran-Israel war and the subsequent US strikes, Nepal has faced no significant pressure from political parties or the strategic community to issue a statement. However, some left-leaning parties, including the main opposition CPN (Maoist), condemned the US strikes on Iran. A few civil society organizations held demonstrations in Kathmandu, calling for an end to the conflict. Although Nepali political leaders and officials have met Iranian counterparts on the sidelines of multilateral forums, no formal bilateral engagements have taken place.

Regarding the Israel-Palestine war, Nepal promptly condemned the Hamas attack on the very day it occurred. The attack claimed the lives of 10 Nepali students, and the whereabouts of Bipin Joshi remain unknown. “The Government of Nepal vehemently denounces the recent act of terrorism in Israel, which tragically resulted in the loss of precious human lives and left many others injured,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated. Notably, later statements from the ministry omitted the word “terrorist,” a shift that caught the attention of foreign policy analysts. Meanwhile, Israel has expressed some reservations about Nepal’s voting positions on issues concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict. In recent votes, Nepal has supported calls for an immediate ceasefire.

Following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 this year, which killed 25 tourists—including one Nepali—India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers, engaged in a four-day conflict from May 7 to 10. In response, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued two statements: the first on April 23 and the second on May 8. The April 23 statement unequivocally condemned the “barbaric terrorist attack on innocent tourists” and expressed Nepal’s solidarity with the Indian government and people.

On May 8, amid the India-Pakistan conflict, Nepal reaffirmed its stance against terrorism. The statement expressed deep concern over rising tensions and reiterated Nepal’s commitment to fighting terrorism in all forms. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava reportedly thanked Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli for Nepal’s support. Before and after the conflict, several Indian politicians visited Kathmandu for wide-ranging discussions. A few regional programs on terrorism in South Asia were also held in the capital. Interestingly, Nepali political leaders and the strategic community remained relatively silent on the India-Pakistan tensions.

The Russia-Ukraine war had a more visible impact on Nepal, largely due to US involvement. Following Russia’s invasion in Feb 2022, Nepal joined the international chorus condemning Russia’s actions. Nepal even voted in an emergency session of the UN General Assembly against Russia’s invasion, calling for an immediate withdrawal and adherence to international law.

This move sparked considerable debate within Nepal. Many argued that Nepal’s vote aligned too closely with Western powers and went against its traditional non-aligned foreign policy. In subsequent UN votes on the war, Nepal adopted a more neutral stance. The conflict’s economic repercussions were felt in Nepal, though not as acutely as in many other parts of the world.

Interestingly, soon after the war began, Moscow proposed advancing bilateral cooperation with Kathmandu. At the same time, the US pressured Nepal to avoid engagement with Russia on business and other matters. Most communist parties in Nepal expressed support for Russia, arguing that Ukraine had failed to acknowledge Russia’s security concerns. However, when it came to light that Russia was recruiting Nepali youth into its army, public and political criticism intensified. Since Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, Russian activity in Kathmandu has increased, with more visits from Russian political, business and other delegations.

A close analysis of these four wars suggests that Nepal has not been significantly affected, at least directly. The country continues to adhere to its long-standing policy of non-alignment. Still, there is growing domestic debate about whether this policy remains viable in a rapidly-changing geopolitical landscape. For now, despite changes in leadership, Nepal has not deviated from its foundational foreign policy approach when dealing with global conflicts.