New York, September 22
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal held separate meetings with Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and European Union Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
During his meeting with Tobgay, the Bhutanese prime minister expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and destruction caused by the recent floods in Nepal.
Tobgay conveyed Bhutan’s solidarity with the Nepali people and expressed hope that reconstruction and recovery in the affected areas would proceed soon.
Khanal thanked the Bhutanese government for its generous support following the floods, saying that the Nepal government and people highly appreciated Bhutan’s assistance.
The two sides also discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations, including expanding cooperation in trade, aviation and other areas of mutual interest.
The meeting also covered climate change and the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters faced by mountainous countries such as Nepal and Bhutan. Both sides discussed the need to strengthen cooperation on climate-related issues.
Separately, Khanal met EU Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera at the UN headquarters in New York.
The meeting focused on various aspects of the Nepal-EU partnership and ways to deepen cooperation between the two sides.
Khanal expressed gratitude for Ribera’s message of sympathy and solidarity following the Bhotekoshi floods and discussed Nepal’s difficult situation after the disaster.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation, particularly in the recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas affected by the Bhotekoshi floods.
Khanal and Ribera also exchanged views on broader areas of Nepal-EU cooperation, according to the foreign minister’s secretariat.
