Amir becomes first Arab leader to visit Nepal

Kathmandu: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a meeting yesterday with President of Nepal H E Ram Chandra Poudel at the Sheetal Niwas Presidential Palace in Kathmandu.

At the outset of the meeting, H E the President of Nepal welcomed H H the Amir and the accompanying delegation, praising His Highness’ visit as the first Arab leader to visit Nepal, which reflects the depth of relations between the two countries, looking forward to working with His Highness to enhance mutual cooperation and advance relations to broader levels.

In turn, H H the Amir voiced his deep thanks to H E the President of Nepal for the warm reception and hospitality accorded to His Highness and the accompanying delegation.

His Highness stressed that his visit reflects the importance of the distinguished relations that bring together the two countries, hoping that the visit and the resulting discussions, agreements, and memoranda of understanding will contribute to developing friendly relations and cooperation for the benefit of the two countries and their friendly peoples. His Highness praised the Nepalese community in the State of Qatar and its contribution to several developmental fields in the country.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed aspects of cooperation between the two friendly countries and ways to enhance and develop them, in addition to the most prominent regional and international issues of common interest.

The meeting was attended by Chief of the Amiri Diwan H E Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Thani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs H E Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi and a number of Their Excellencies members of the official delegation accompanying H H the Amir.

On the Nepalese side, the meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs H E Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation H E Shakti Bahadur Basnet, and a number of senior officials.

H H the Amir arrived yesterday in Kathmandu on a state visit to Nepal.

H H the Amir was welcomed upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport by H E President of Nepal Ram Chandra Poudel. 

H H the Amir was also welcomed by Vice-President H E Ram Sahaya Yadav, Prime Minister H E Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Speaker of the House of Representatives H E Devraj Ghimire, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs H E Narayan Shrestha, Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation H E Shakti Bahadur, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Nepal H E Mishaal bin Mohammad Al Ansari, Ambassador of Nepal to the State of Qatar H E Dr. Naresh Bikram Dhakal, a number of senior officials in the Government of Nepal, and members of Qatar’s Embassy.

H H the Amir was accorded an official reception ceremony upon arrival, during which 21 artillery shots were fired to welcome His Highness. H H the Amir is accompanied by an official delegation.