Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali met US Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo at the US Department of State in Washington on Tuesday.

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry stated the two countries agreed to widen and deepen seven-decades long partnership to take their relation to the next level. The two also discussed the overall state of bilateral relations and cooperation between Nepal and the US. Viewes were also exchanged on enhancing political relationship through exchange of visits and the ways and means for promoting economic cooperation between the two countries with particular focus on the areas of trade, investment and development assistance.

This afternoon, @SecPompeo welcomed #Nepal’s Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali to the State Department. @MofaNepal @usembassynepal @State_SCA pic.twitter.com/nQ8tQ4pEIK

— Department of State (@StateDept) December 18, 2018

Foreign Ministry said a Nepal-US political consultation was held at the State Department prior to the ministerial meeting and was co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi and Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Ambassador Alice G. Wells.

Minister Gyawali arrived in Washington DC on Monday leading a Nepali delegation to participate in the bilateral meeting. Gyawali is also scheduled to hold meetings with Chief Operating Officer of Millennium Challenge Corporation as well as with senior officials from Office of the Secretary of Defense and National Security Council on Wednesday, the statement said.