The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has formally directed local level authorities to channel meetings with representatives from diplomatic missions through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

The move is aimed at putting a curb on meetings and engagements between members of local units and representatives from diplomatic missions without prior knowledge of MoFA.

From now on, the representatives of all the local levels—rural municipalities, municipalities, sub-metropolises and metropolises—and those of the District Coordination Committee from all 77 districts will have to obtain a prior approval from MoFA for hosting or meeting diplomats. 

The ministry has issued circular to the local level authorities in line with the directive of the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO). “MoFA had raised serious concern over the issue through the PMO. We have asked the local authorities to compulsorily seek approval from MoFA before conducting such activities,” said Rudra Singh Tamang, spokesperson for the Ministry of Federal Affairs. He said the circular has been issued as a guideline for the authorities concerned regarding engagements with diplomats.

Clarifying that MoFA is the focal agency for any foreign engagements within and beyond the country, Tamang expected the move would put back the system in place. 

The diplomatic practice worldwide based on the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations calls for notification through the Foreign Ministry about any meeting between representatives of two nations. Though successive governments have come up with the diplomatic code of conduct in the past, they have largely remained unimplemented.