KATHMANDU, Feb 27: Eknath Dhakal, a member of the House of Representatives (HoR), has drawn the attention of the Government of Nepal and raised concerns over Nepal’s deteriorating international standing.
Addressing the HoR session held on Monday, Dhakal, who is also a former minister, expressed his concern that despite Nepal's bilateral relations with 181 countries as well as the presence of Nepali embassies in 30 friendly countries, international relations are constantly weakening and being neglected.
Dhakal pointed out the decline in Nepal's passport ranking, dropping from 76th in 2006 to 103rd in 2024. He questioned, “Is this decline attributed from factors such as poverty, unemployment, corruption or inadequate government diplomacy?
Additionally, Dhakal raised question to Prime Minister saying, “What is the reason for the absence of high-level visits from powerful friendly nations to Nepal?
Lawmaker Dhakal argued that the visit of the Secretary General of the United Nations to Nepal a few months ago was not planned but accidental. “Will Nepal continue to be influenced by regional politics?” he asked.
He also highlighted the inconvenience faced by Nepalis who are required to travel to Delhi to apply for visas, despite the presence of embassies of friendly countries in Kathmandu. He suggested the formation of a high-level task force to address this issue, emphasizing its importance in safeguarding the country's reputation.
Dhakal urged, "Let the coalition government prioritize diplomacy to ensure Nepal's dignified international standing."