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Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Parshuram Sharma and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Afreen Akhtar held a meeting at the Nepal Army headquarters in Bhadrakali on Tuesday. During the meeting, the duo discussed mutual interests and bilateral cooperation, the NA Directorate of Public Relations and Information said. CoAS said that this kind of meeting will further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Akhtar will hold meetings with government and Nepal Army officials during her stay in Nepal, the US Embassy said. She is also scheduled to hold discussions with the Nepali partners ICIMOD and Energy Nepal. “Issues of climate change, clean energy, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, democracy and human rights will be discussed,” the Embassy said.    

Jang Sung-min, political advisor of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday. During the meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar today, they discussed matters of mutual interests and bilateral cooperation, according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat. On the occasion, they also held a discussion on the issues of further strengthening bilateral relations, exchanging financial assistance and celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishment of Nepal-Korea diplomatic relations in a grand manner next year, it has been learnt. Issues including recruiting more workers in Korea through EPS, and increasing assistance provided to Nepal by South Korea were also discussed in the meeting.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Afreen Akhtar arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day visit to Nepal on Monday. During her stay in Kathmandu, she will hold discussions with Nepal Army officials, the US Embassy said. Though the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) was endorsed by the Parliament, the State Partnership Program (SPP) remained controversial. Following which, the government said it would not participate in the scheme. The US, however, wants to implement the SPP in Nepal, according to a source. The source said that Akhtar will hold discussions with Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Parshuram Sharma and high ranking officials on the SPP. This is the third high-level visit from the United States within three weeks and since the formation of a new government under CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Earlier on February 7, Samantha Power, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), had arrived in Kathmandu. Before Power, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland had visited Nepal.

The Government of Nepal has dispatched the first shipment of over 22 tons of relief materials containing medicines, medical equipment, warm clothing, and other basic essential items for the earthquake affected people of Turkey on Monday. The Government of Nepal has decided to send the relief materials as a gesture of solidarity in Turkey’s relief and recovery efforts following the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye on 06 February 2023. Earlier on 08 February 2023, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal on a telephone conversation with her Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu extended heartfelt condolences to the people and Government of Turkey on the loss of precious lives and properties and expressed Nepal’s readiness to extend all possible support in solidarity with the people of Türkiye. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to extend its sincere gratitude to all the concerned government agencies, private sector and humanitarian organizations for their generous support and the Turkish Airlines for its offer to transport the relief materials, read a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.