Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai is leaving for Portugal on Tuesday to lead the Nepali delegation at the first meeting of the Nepal–Portugal Bilateral Consultation Mechanism, scheduled to be held in Lisbon on February 20, 2026.

In a press release issued on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stated that Rai will co-chair the meeting, which will review the overall state of Nepal–Portugal relations, including cooperation in regional and multilateral forums on issues of common interest.

The Nepali delegation comprises senior officials from the ministry, Nepal’s ambassador to Portugal and other officials from the embassy.

During his stay in Lisbon, the foreign secretary is also scheduled to meet senior officials of Portugal’s foreign ministry, officially inaugurate the newly opened Nepali Embassy and interact with representatives of the Nepali community.

It is estimated that more than 40,000 Nepali nationals currently reside in Portugal, working in various professions.

The Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between Nepal and Portugal was established in 2018 to strengthen diplomatic engagement and cooperation.

Rai is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on February 22, 2026.