Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday held consultations with former prime ministers and foreign ministers regarding his upcoming official visit to Thailand and participation in the sixth Bimstec summit.

During the discussion at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, the participants emphasised maximising the visit’s benefits for Nepal in the field of economic development, connectivity, energy, tourism, and cultural exchange. As this marks the first official visit by a Nepali prime minister to Thailand, they stressed securing Nepal’s diverse national interests.

Oli reiterated Nepal’s commitment to global peace and regional cooperation while remaining sensitive to the interests of others. He underscored the need to revitalise SAARC and the Non-Aligned Movement and assured that the recommendations for advancing Nepal’s interests at the Bimstec summit would be taken into account.

Oli is scheduled to visit Thailand from April 1 to 5 at the invitation of his Thai counterpart, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

The discussion was attended by former prime ministers Baburam Bhattarai and former chairman of the Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi; Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba; and former foreign ministers Upendra Yadav, Ishwar Pokharel, Raghubir Mahaseth, Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, Ramesh Nath Pandey, Prakash Chandra Lohani, Prakash Sharan Mahat, Narayan Prakash Saud, and Bimala Rai Paudyal. Also present were Prime Minister’s Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, and other senior officials.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Oli will hold official talks with his Thai counterpart during the visit and discuss various areas of bilateral relations. Senior foreign ministry officials stated that some agreements and memoranda of understanding are expected to be signed between the two governments and the private sectors of Nepal and Thailand.

Following the official bilateral engagements, Oli will lead the Nepali delegation to the Sixth Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), hosted by Thailand. He is scheduled to address the summit on April 4.

Established in 1997, Bimstec fosters regional cooperation between South and Southeast Asia. It comprises seven member states—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Thailand currently chairs the grouping for the 2022-2024 period and will hand over the leadership during the upcoming summit. Bimstec aims to establish a “prosperous, resilient, and open region known as pro-Bimstec” by 2030.

On the summit’s sidelines, Oli will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Bimstec member states.

The prime minister will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba; Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal; Economic and Development Advisor Yuba Raj Khatiwada; and high-ranking government officials.

Oli will return home on April 5.