AIDIA urged Nepal to review foreign policy

The Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (AIDIA) has called upon the Nepal authorities to review its foreign policy and adopt a "more pragmatic” one.

The think-tank in a statement on Wednesday said they had recently organised a conference in Kathmandu bringing together politicians, former ministers, academics, diplomats and experts to discuss foreign policy issues.

They stressed the need for a “pragmatic” foreign policy, managing the geo-strategic rivalry of immediate neighbours.

Landlocked Nepal is sandwiched between two big economies – China and India.

“The objective was to revisit the Nepal’s foreign policy in reference to the contemporary remaking of international order, the global power shifts to Asia, reshuffling of the global balance of power, the rise of China and India and its impact on Nepal’s foreign policy,” Shyam KC, Research and Development Director of AIDIA, said.

AIDIA CEO Sunil KC said they would share the conference report with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related stakeholders for helping them devise a “pragmatic foreign policy”.

Three former ministers of Nepal, Ramesh Naath Pandey, Prof Madhukar SJB Rana, and Surendra Pandey were present among others at the conference jointly organised with Mid-Western University.