Miscellaneous
Cabinet recommends envoys for 21 missions
The government on Tuesday recommended ambassadors for 21 countries, including China, Japan and the United Kingdom, and opened a new Nepali Embassy in Austria.Anil Giri
The government on Tuesday recommended ambassadors for 21 countries, including China, Japan and the United Kingdom, and opened a new Nepali Embassy in Austria.
The appointment issue was hugely debated during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, as a result it took hours for making recommendations. Names were selected from among career diplomats and individuals who are “close to political parties”.
The Cabinet has not picked any ambassador for Oman and the quota for this mission “belongs to” Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Loktantrik led by Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar.
Out of 21 recommendations, eight recommendations were made from among career diplomats and the rest 13 were split by governing parties.
Out of the 13 political appointments, UML has made six recommendations.
Former foreign minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, a UML leader, has been recommended as ambassador for China. He was foreign minister during the tenure of the Sushil Koirala-led government. Pandey will replace Mahesh Maskey who became the ambassador from the UCPN (Maoist) quota around three and a half years ago.
Similarly, Yubaraj Karki, a former minister, has been recommended as ambassador for South Korea.
Another UML member, Narad Bhardaw, an aide to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, has been recommended for Sri Lanka.
Similarly, Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe has been recommended for Israel and Ali Akhtar Mikrani for Saudi Arabia.
Similarly, Khadga KC, Head of International Relations Department of Political Science at Tribhuvan University, has been recommended for Japan.
Similarly, from the UCPN (Maoist) quota, Yubnath Lamsal, has been recommended for Denmark, former lawmaker Lucky Sherpa for Australia, Padam Sundas for Bahrain and Prof Mahednra Singh has been recommended for Qatar.
Lamsal is a journalist, Sherpa is former UML lawmaker who later joined the Maoist party, Sundas is a long time Dalit activist and chairman of the Samata Foundation and Singh is former rector of TU.
From Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, another ruling party, former minister Niranjan Thapa has been recommended as ambassador for Russia, retired Nepal Army General Bharat Rayamaji has been recommended for the United Arab Emirates and former education secretary Khagendra Basnet has been recommended for Bangladesh.
The appointments made from among the career diplomats of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include Tara Pokhrel, Prakash Subedi, Jhabindra Aryal, Ramesh Khanal, Lok Bahadur Thapa, Sewa Adhikari, Durga Bahadur Chettri and Rishi Ram Ghimire.
Pokhrel is seniormost joint secretary at MoFA, currently heading the UN Division and spokesperson for MoFA, has been recommended for Brazil.
Similarly, Subedi is Head of South Asia Division and will open Nepal’s new missions in Vienna, Austria.
Aryal is the Head of North Asia Division and has been recommended for Egypt.
Khanal is the Chief of Protocol and has been recommended for Germany.
Thapa is Director General at Department of Passport and has been recommended for Belgium.
Similarly, Adhikari is Nepal’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the United Nations in New York and has been recommended for Pakistan. Chettri is head of the Administration Division and has been recommended for the United Kingdom.
These recommendations will be forwarded to Parliament Hearing Special Committee. After getting clearance from the House committee, these names will be sent to host countries for approval.
Recommended
CPN-UML
Mahendra B Pandey China
Yubaraj Karki South Korea
Narad Bhardaw Sri Lanka
Shiva Tumbahamphe Israel
Ali Akhtar Mikrani Saudi Arabia
Khadga KC Japan
Yubnath Lamsal Denmark
Lucky Sherpa Australia
Padam Sundas Bahrain
Mahednra Singh Qatar
Niranjan Thapa Russia
Bharat Rayamaji UAE
Khagendra Basnet Bangladesh
Tara Pokhrel Brazil
Prakash Subedi Austria
Jhabindra Aryal Egypt
Ramesh Khanal Germany
Lok B Thapa Belgium
Sewa Adhikari Pakistan
Durga B Chettri UK
Rishi Ram Ghimire Myanmar