Minister for Foreign Affairs Bimala Rai Paudyal returned home on Sunday following her visit to Sri Lanka.

Minister Paudyal was in the island nation to participate in the 75th Independence Day of Sri Lanka and held various high-level meetings during her visit.

Minister Paudyal, speaking to media persons at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon her arrival, informed that high-level meetings were held on the sidelines along with her participation in the official programme.

Paudyal said that she paid a courtesy call to Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickramasinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and discussed various matters of mutual interest between the two countries.

Minister Paudyalal said that during her meetings she asked for cooperation in the expansion of the air connectivity with the International Airport in Bhairahawa, cultural exchange between the two countries, and the study of Buddhist philosophy in Nepal.

During her visit, Minister Paudyal also held separate meetings with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of India, Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

According to Paudyal, during those meetings, she stated the need to initiate the activities of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the need to expand the network of mutual discussion and cooperation among the member countries.

Regarding the fact that South Asian countries are at risk of climate change, Minister Paudyal also informed that she pointed out the need to establish an informal network to create a single voice in the region at the next United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-28).

Similarly, Paudyal said that talks were held with her Bangladeshi counterpart on energy trade and sending Nepali doctors and nurses.