Press Release on Hon. Minister for Urban Development Dr. Narayan Khadka programme in the Kingdom of Bhutan

Dr. Narayan Khadka, Minister for Urban Development of Nepal paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of The Kingdom of Bhutan today(July 29) at the latter’ office in Thimphu. Both leaders exchanged views on further enhancement of bilateral relations between two friendly countries.

On the occasion, Hon. Dr. Khadka conveyed message of gratitude to H. E. Prime Minister of Bhutan on behalf of the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Sushil Koirala for the prompt response from the Royal Government of Bhutan during the devastating earthquake in Nepal on April 25. He expressed appreciation for Bhutan’s gesture of friendship and cordiality in the time of need which was amply demonstrated by the personal visit of H. E. Prime Minister of Bhutan to Nepal to express sympathy and solidarity from Bhutanese people and Government to the people and Government of Nepal during those trying times of Nepalese history.

Hon. Khadka also thanked the Government of Bhutan for their active participation in the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction last June end in Kathmandu and  expressed hope that generous support and good will demonstrated by Bhutan would continue in future too.
On the occasion, H. E. Prime Minister of Bhutan expressed his confidence that people and government of Nepal would soon come out of the crisis and rebuild the country in tune to the needs and aspirations of Nepali people.

Similarly, Dr. Narayan Khadka held a separate bilateral meeting with H. E. Lyonpo Namgay Dorji, Minister of Finance of the Royal Bhutan Government on July 28 at the latter’s office in Thimphu.
Matters of mutual interests were discussed during the meeting.

Dr. Narayan Khadka, Minister of Urban Development of Nepal led the Nepali delegation to participate in the Fourth Meeting of the SAARC Ministers on Poverty Alleviation in Thimphu on July 29, 2015. Delivering the statement, Hon.  Dr Khadka gave detail overview of the ongoing programs of Nepal to alleviate poverty and expressed total commitment of Nepal to the regional process in the SAARC for poverty alleviation initiatives.

The one day meeting that concluded today in Thimphu had participation from Afghanistan , Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The meeting has made several decisions to reinvigorate the SAARC process to quicken the pace for implementation of SAARC Development Goals in conjunction with the forthcoming United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in order to eradicate the poverty and provide lives of safety and dignity to the people of the region.

The Fourth Meeting of the SAARC Ministers on Poverty Alleviation was inaugurated by H. E. Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan amid a ceremony at Hotel Taj Tashi in Thimphu.

Besides the Hon. Minister, the Nepali delegation consists of Mr. Shreedhar Gautam, secretary of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Mr. Ramesh Prasad Khanal, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Suresh Pradhan, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.

Hon. Minister and Nepali delegation will return to Nepal on July 30, 2015.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Singha Durbar, Kathmandu

July 30, 2015