Kathmandu, August 24
Nepali Congress chief whip Basana Thapa held a courtesy meeting with Australian Ambassador to Nepal Simon Ernst on Monday.
The meeting, held at the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party office, focused on Nepal-Australia relations, parliamentary cooperation, education, people-to-people ties and matters of mutual interest.
Thapa said parliamentary cooperation should be prioritised to further strengthen relations between the two countries. She also stressed the need to increase regular dialogue and exchanges of experience between lawmakers from Nepal and Australia.
She called for the effective mobilisation of the Nepal-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group to strengthen institutional ties between lawmakers of the two countries.
According to Thapa, the friendship group could serve as an important platform for cooperation and greater mutual understanding on issues of common interest.
Thapa also appreciated Australia’s longstanding support for Nepal’s social and economic development. She expressed gratitude for Australia’s contribution to Nepal’s human resource development through initiatives including Australia Awards scholarships, capacity-building programmes and training opportunities.
She noted that Australia remains a major destination for Nepali students pursuing higher education and said Nepali students and the wider Nepali community in Australia have played an important role in strengthening ties between the two countries.
During the meeting, Thapa also conveyed her greetings and best wishes to Australian House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick through Ambassador Ernst.
Ambassador Ernst said parliamentary cooperation and people-to-people relations were important to further strengthening Nepal-Australia ties.
He expressed Australia’s continued commitment to expanding cooperation in areas including education, human resource development and parliamentary engagement.
