Nepal-France Bilateral Consultation Mechanism's third meeting held

The third meeting of the Nepal-France Bilateral Consultation Mechanism was held in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

A wide range of matters relating to bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries were discussed during the meeting led by the Joint Secretary at the Ministry Sewa Lamsal on the Nepali side and Director for Asia and Oceania at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Bertrand Lortholary on the French side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.

The two sides reviewed the overall state of bilateral relations. They discussed ways and means to enhance bilateral trade and investment, transfer of technology and tourism for mutual benefit, and measures for economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic. The centuries-old cultural exchange and the ever-increasing people-to-people contact were also discussed during the meeting.

The Nepali side shared about the country’s graduation from the LDC status in 2026 and the preparation of the transition strategy and requested the continuation of support measures provided by France and the EU in terms of market access and development cooperation.

The meeting adopted the Nepal-France Green Roadmap which emphasizes, among other areas, the importance of developing renewable energy projects, investing in low-carbon and resilient infrastructure, protecting forests, acting to prevent natural disasters, and incorporating climate change adaptation into national, local, and sectoral planning documents.

The two sides also discussed possible cooperation in mutually beneficial areas at the multilateral level.

Nepali delegation included the officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Forest, and Environment as well as Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation. In contrast, the French delegation included the Ambassador of France in Kathmandu and other officials.