Nepal and the European Union on Tuesday reiterated their commitment to collaborate to uphold democracy and human rights, promoting good governance and realising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During the 15th meeting of the Joint Commission between Nepal and the European Union, the two sides also renewed their commitment to cooperation promoting investment and coping against global challenges, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Nepali side discussed achievements and obstacles in achieving SDGs, while the EU welcomed Nepal's transition strategy to graduate from Least Developed Country status and pledged to sustain cooperation through the multi-annual indicative programme.

Nepal and the EU engaged in discussions regarding regional and multilateral processes, including the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (IMSTEC), as stated by the foreign ministry.

“The EU praised Nepal’s contributions to UN Peacekeeping Operations. Nepal and the EU reaffirmed their commitments to cooperate within the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and other global forums to promote effective multilateralism and the rules-based international order,” reads the statement.

The foreign ministry said the Nepali side reaffirmed its commitment to upholding human rights and concluding transitional justice as soon as possible.

The EU expressed hope for the early conclusion of Nepal’s peace process, according to the statement.

“The two sides unanimously agreed that corruption, including money laundering and financing of terrorism, is a major impediment to sustainable development,” reads the statement.

The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific of the European External Affairs Service of the EU Paola Pampaloni.