Luxembourg foreign minister arriving today

Kathmandu, January 28

Luxembourg’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn is arriving in Kathmandu tomorrow on a twoday visit to mark 45years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Nepal and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg established bilateral relations on 27 November 1975.

Asselborn, also the Dean of Foreign Ministers of the European Union, heads a delegation that includes, Luxembourg’s ambassador to Nepal Jean Claude Kugener and Nepal-based honorary consul Shree Ram Lamichhane.

Minister Asselbornis scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali shortly after his arrival, followed by a luncheon hosted by Gyawali in honour of the visiting delegation.

Also tomorrow, the Luxembourg side will organise a function to mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Luxembourg.

Asselborn will be paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli before returning home on Thursday.

Nepal and Luxembourg have nurtured friendly and close relations ever since diplomatic ties were established. Many high-level visits have taken place since then.

These exchanges have been marked by numerous royal and ministerial visits and people-to-people contacts. Former State Secretary for Environment Eugène Berger, who was the first Luxembourger to climb Mount Everest in 1992, visited Nepal on many occasions.

He sadly passed away last week at the age of 59. Late prime minister Sushil Koirala and former foreign minister Prakash Sharan Mahat had visited the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for bilateral talks.

Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali visited Luxembourg in 2018 to attend the 11th European Regional Meeting of the Nepali Diaspora and held fruitful discussions with members of the Luxembourg Government.

Over the decades, the Luxembourg government and many NGOs have contributed to the deepening of these relations through sustainable development projects. In total, 10 Luxembourg NGOs are active in Nepal, some since more than two decades.

The projects supported construction of a hospital for disabled children in Banepa, Annex of the Dhulikhel Hospital, the home for underprivileged women and girls in Pokhara, and protection of children from sexual exploitation in adult entertainment and the tourism sector.

The National Federation of Scouts has supported over 110 projects throughout the country since over 30 years. Other NGOs projects support reconstruction of private houses in Sindhupalchowk district and building of five eco-villages in Salyan district.

During the disastrous earthquake in 2015, the Luxembourg Government immediately responded and deployed the “Emergency.lu”, the Luxembourg mobile, satellite-based, telecommunications platform, with Civil Protection volunteers. It immediately provided vital connectivity services in Chautara, Deurali and Charikot.

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