Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi today on the sidelines of the World Leaders Summit of COP26. During the meeting, overall matters of bilateral relations were discussed.

Prime Minister thanked the Prime Minister of India for its valuable assistance in the socio-economic development of Nepal including infrastructures, railway links, petroleum pipelines, reconstruction projects among others.

He also thanked for the Indian support to Nepal in essential medical supplies and vaccines in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. He expressed that India’s support would continue in the supply of chemical fertilizer as in the past.

He also requested the Indian government to allow additional air entry routes through Mahendranagar, Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj and Bhairahawa. The Indian Prime Minister stated that he would work for further strengthening Nepal-India ties and assured of his full support to Nepal as required.

The Prime Minister also held a bilateral meeting with the President of Srilanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa today. During the meeting, overall matters of bilateral relations particularly promoting education and cultural links between the two countries were discussed. The Prime Minister thanked the Srilankan President for beginning direct flight of Srilankan Airlines between Colombo and Kathmandu. The Prime Minister also held a friendly meeting with the President of Mongolia Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on the sidelines of COP26.

Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence called on Prime Minister during which matters relating to grievances and welfare of the British Gurkha soldiers as well as the UK’s support to Nepal in vaccines were discussed.

Prime Minister attended breakfast reception hosted for select Heads of State and Government by the. Boris Johnson and the First Minister of Scotland. PM Deuba also addressed the High-level event on Forest and Land Use Management as one of the distinguished panelists and highlighted Nepal’s interest in the voluntary carbon market and lowering emissions and accelerating Forest (LEAF) instrument.

In the afternoon, Managing Director of World Bank Group Ms. Mari E. Pangestu called on the Prime Minister and discussed the ways to enhance cooperation inter alia on GRID, Covid-19 and human capital agenda.

Similarly, Deputy CEO of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Ms. Alexia Latortue called on the Prime Minister. Matters relating to MCC compact grant to Nepal were discussed during the meeting.

Secretary-General of International Maritime Organization Kitack Lim paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister during which the Secretary-General informed about the several opportunities of work in the maritime sector for Nepalese and offered scholarships to Nepali students at World Maritime University in Sweden and IMO International Maritime Law Institute in Malta.