The visit comes as a follow-up to Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s April visit to India, who had then discussed with the Indian side about the development of Indo-Nepal inland.

The first phase of related discussions was held in Kathmandu, where it was decided that a Nepali technical team will visit India to conduct an infrastructure study on Indian waterways.

Briefing the team’s agenda, Nepali officials in New Delhi said, Nepal Water & Energy Consumption (NWEC) Joint Secretary Madhav Belbase along with the team of technical experts will visit different Indian inland waterways to study their infrastructure and learn how Nepal will benefit from them.

Following this, the Nepali team will meet and discuss the possibilities with the Indian team.

Inland Waterways Under Construction:
India has already begun working on building infrastructure to develop inland waterways from Kolkata to Varanasi via the River Ganga. The Indian Government and the World Bank together have invested over INR 54 billion for this part of the project.

The project encompasses the construction of multi-modal terminal stations in Varanasi, Sahibganj in Bihar and Haldia in Kolkata.

The terminal in Varanasi is due for completion in November 2018.

On completion, Nepali cargo from third-world countries can be transported from Kolkata to Varanasi and then be sent through rail and road links to Birgunj and Bhairahawa.

Officials say that this project is important and will pave way for imports and exports of big cargo including raw materials.

The Kalughat terminal near Patna is another feasible option. Currently under construction, the terminal will facilitate cargo imports up to the Narayani river.

A multi-modal terminal in Haldiya of Kolkata, which is underway, will enable transportation of 2.18 million ton every year. The project is due for completion in December 2019.

Alternative in Consideration
According to officials, the two neighboring countries are considering a few alternatives for the modality of waterways:

• India has proposed the shipment of cargo with the help of big vessels from Kolkata to Kalughat in Bihar from where they can be transported to the Nepali border on smaller ships
• Nepal can also transfer the goods through the 180-km Kalughat-Raxaul road link.
• India proposed the movement of goods on big vessels between Kolkata-Sahibganj waterway and later transfer them to small ships to the Nepal border
• Nepal can also import goods by road through the 150-km Sahibganj-Manihari-Birgunj corridor
• India has also proposed the transfer of goods through cross-border railway lines which are under-construction

The two countries Prime Minister Visits, the Trade-Treaty and more recently the BIMSTEC Summit have paved the way for many interesting projects between the two countries including railways, cargo tracking and waterways which stand as proof of both countries efforts for regional co-operation and individual development.

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In this regard, the concerned officials of both the countries have recently signed a Joint Communiqué in New York on behalf of their Heads of States and government departments, said a statement by the Nepali mission in UN.

With this, the number of Nepal’s external outreach with world nations as part of diplomatic relations reached 160.

Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives to UN Nepal and Burundi, Durga Prasad Bhattarai and Albert Shingiro joined the signing ceremony.

On the occasion, the two officials held bilateral discussions on the ways to make their bilateral ties instrumental across national and global platforms.

They also discussed the scope of taking ahead the relations further on a bilateral basis and also through the frameworks such as South-south and Trilateral co-operations.

Nepal and Burundi are already the active members in various groups such as Least Developed Countries (LDC), Land-Locked Developing Countries (LLDC), Group of 77, Non-Aligned Movement and Human Rights Council of Geneva.

Besides, the two countries also served as the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council and members of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2002 and 2003 as a representing their respective regions.

A Step Ahead!

Meanwhile, in another update regarding Nepal-Saudi bilateral ties, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has pledged its support to Nepal in its infrastructure projects through financial aid and loans.

“The state-owned Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has pledged to extend a SR 30 million loan facility for infrastructure projects in Nepal,” Nepal’s newly-appointed Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mahendra Prasad Singh Rajput said in a statement.

The envoy further informed that Nepal is currently studying the clauses of a draft agreement, which will facilitate deployment of Nepalese domestic workers in this country.

“We will submit some project proposals to SFD shortly in this regard,” he added.

Speaking further on the deal, Rajput explained that Nepal is going through the proposal pertaining to labor agreement between the two countries and is keen on proceeding positively considering Saudi’s position as the top destination for Nepali migrant labor.

Hope the new deal will address the employment concerns of more number of Nepali migrant labor looking out for job in the Saudi market.

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Nepal and Uzbekistan agreed and signed for the establishment of their diplomatic ties on January 26, 2018.

With Uzbekistan, the number of diplomatic ties Nepal has established with the world nations, so far, reached 158.

An agreement in this regard was signed at a ceremony held in New York that was also attended by Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Ambassador Durga Prasad Bhattarai and Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the United Nations Bakhtiyor Ibragimov.

Ambassadors of both the nations also jointly informed Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres about the signing of Nepal-Uzbekistan bilateral ties.

Nepal and Uzbekistan are currently working in collaboration across various forums such as non-aligned movement, among others.

It is noteworthy that Nepal has recently begun its diplomatic relations with a West-African nation Benin.

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While the date of formation of the new government is yet to be announced, the left alliance came up with some announcements on policies to be implemented under the left-led new Nepali Government (yet to be formed)

In a recent announcement, the left alliance informed that the new Nepali Government will maintain Nepal’s diplomatic relations with neighboring nations based on independent foreign policy.

“As per the directions made by the Nepali Constitution, we will develop the relation with friendly nations, especially the neighboring countries, international unions and organizations, on the basis of independent foreign policy,” the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and Maoist Centre (CPN-MC) said in a statement on December 17, 2017.

In response, a resident of Lumbini said, “I expect a policy that will enhance Nepal’s relationship with neighboring countries India and China. Growth of Nepal is not possible without good relation with India due to geopolitical situation. But in the name of enhancing relation, Nepal should not bow to any other countries.”

These statements by the new Nepali government gain significance in view of recent statements by Nepal’s close bilateral partners on the conclusion of Nepal’s legislative elections 2017.

Nepal Is a Good Friend: Japan

Meanwhile, the Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Masashi Ogawa said that Nepal is a good friend to Japan and expressed Japan’s willingness to support Nepal’s development.

“Japan is a good friend of Nepal and it has been providing support to Nepal’s efforts for economic, social, cultural and educational development,” said Ogawa in his address at a recently-held event in Kathmandu.

India Important for Nepal

India also congratulated Nepal on successful completion of its most-awaited parliamentary and provincial elections.

A statement by Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson read about India’s keenness to support Nepal in its all-round development. 

India expressed willingness to work with the newly-elected government with regard to taking ahead its close and multi-faceted ties with Nepal in various sectors.

“The Indo-Nepal ties are not just about government-to-government relations, but about people-to-people ties. India will work with any party that comes to power in Kathmandu. Similarly, the Nepal of PM will work with Delhi irrespective of his ideology. India remains a key factor in Nepal’s politics, society and religion and this fact cannot be ignored,” said a Nepal-focused political expert earlier this month.

US Hopes Responsive Governance

Meanwhile, congratulating Nepal on the conclusion of its historic polls, the United States Government hoped that the recent election would set a stage for new responsive governance in Nepal that stands by rule of law, transparency and inclusivity.

“The election of representatives at all levels of government should set the stage for responsive governance based on the principles of transparency, inclusivity, and rule of law,” read a statement by State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert.

In this regard, Nauert expressed the US Government’s willingness towards working with the new Nepali Government.

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