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American Embassy in Kathmandu has celebrated the 75^th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral relationship with Nepal. The embassy organized a special function in Kathmandu on April 30 to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Nepal and the United States of America (US) established diplomatic relations between them on 25 April 1947. The US is the second country, only after the UK, with which Nepal established diplomatic relations.

Nepal established its Embassy in Washington D.C. on 3 February 1958. On 6 August 1959, American Embassy in Kathmandu was opened. A number of Nepal’s honorary consuls have been appointed in various US cities.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, top leaders of major parties, and high-level government officials attended the program. Addressing the program, PM Deuba said Nepal-US diplomatic ties provides an opportunity for further expanding and enriching the partnership in all productive sector. We look forward to more high-level engagements and economic partnerships in the days to come, PM Deuba said.

In his message on the 75^th anniversary of diplomatic relations, American Ambassador to Nepal Randy W. Berry said The foundation of this multi-generational U.S. – Nepal relationship is people-to-people connections, sovereignty, and democratic values.

Today, we need each other more than ever to tackle difficult issues like addressing the climate crisis and protecting democracy in the face of rising authoritarianism. We look forward to doing this together, giving us the results that this friendship has given us for generations, the U.S envoy said.

The United States’ historic support for Nepal’s health sector reflects the powerful results of our partnership. In the 1950s, malaria afflicted nearly 25 percent of the population. The U.S. government through USAID, supported the Malaria Control Program and by 1968, malaria cases dropped from more than 2 million to 2,468 cases nationwide.

American President Joseph R. Biden has expressed his government’s desire to advance the common agenda of the two countries and deepen the strong and abiding friendship between two countries.  

Acknowledging the receipt of the Letters of Credence from the newly appointed Nepali Ambassador to America Sridhar Khatri, Biden also welcomed the Nepali Ambassador as a member of the diplomatic corps in Washington D.C, according to a statement issued by Nepali Embassy in Washington.

Submitting his Letters of Credence to the White House through the Department of State, Ambassador Khatri addressed a note to the President conveying the best wishes and warm felicitations to Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Ambassador thanked the President Biden for the continued support of the United States in the overall development efforts of Nepal and expressed his firm belief that the longstanding close friendship and partnership between the two countries will further deepen and expand in the days ahead.

Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury has said that there is a tremendous eagerness in Bangladesh to import hydropower from Nepal.

Speaking at a program organized by the Institute of Foreign Affairs to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the envoy said both countries are actively engaged in the discussions to facilitate the export of hydroelectricity from Nepal to Bangladesh.

The Ambassador said that the two countries are working on expanding the road, rail, and air connectivity. The recently signed BBIN agreement is expected to remove all impediments to seamless road connectivity between the two countries, the envoy said.

We are also in the process of upgrading the existing air service agreement to connect more airports which will facilitate more trade and tourism in both countries, he added.

The envoy stated that both sides are expecting high-level engagements including foreign secretary and commerce level talks in order to strengthen the institutional linkages and streamline the trade-related issues.

The envoy informed that the two countries are negotiating a Preferential Trade Agreement(PTA) and a bilateral investment protection treaty is under consideration. 

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi has said that Nepal should become a "demonstration garden" for friendly cooperation among countries, not a "fighting ring" for geopolitical games.

In an interview with Global Times, the Chinese Envoy said Nepal is an important partner of China's construction of the Belt and Road in South Asia, and the two countries signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the BRI cooperation in 2017. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Nepal at this time fully reflects the importance and support China attaches to its friendly neighbor Nepal, she said.

China and Nepal have carried out fruitful cooperation in infrastructure construction covering roads, airports, electric power, and water conservancy, the Chinese envoy said.

Although the pace of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries has slowed down due to factors such as the epidemic and changes in the political situation in Nepal, the Chinese envoy says, there is a Chinese saying that "a distance knows horsepower, and a long time sees people's hearts."

Here is the link of the interview:https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202204/1259363.shtml