UK ambassador pays courtesy visit to HM Khand

UK's ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Kathryn Pollitt today held a courtesy meeting with Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand.

During the meeting took place at the Ministry of Home Affairs, the two discussed about the matters relating to further consolidation of bilateral ties.

On the occasion, the Minister Khand thanked the ambassador for successful completion of the Integrated Programme for Strengthening Security Justice (2014-2021) supported by the UK government.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, UK had on October, 2021 endorsed the continuity of the programme (second phase) and the today's meeting was held in the context of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries to this regard, according to the Home Minister's secretariat.

During the meeting, the Minister said the programme had its role in increasing people's access to security and justice, combating gender-based violence and further consolidating the police-community relations in the first phase.

Similarly, he expressed his gratitude to the UK government for responding Nepal's request to revise the MoU draft so as to ensure additional support to the Nepal Police during the implementation of the second-phase of the programme.

During the meeting, the UK government representative expressed her concern about the transitional justice situation in Nepal. In response, the Minister said the government is committed to implementing agreements reached with various political parties and even the rebel parties for the management of political conflict. The agreements with the Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav)–led group, Janamat Party and Tharu Welfare Assembly are in the phase of the enforcement, according to the Minister.

As he said, the government is committed to establishing lasting peace and for the consolidating of democracy and agreements reached with various political parties towards that connection are in the phase of implementation. He also thanked the UK ambassador for the UK's contribution to Nepal for addressing the issues of transitional justice at home.