KATHMANDU, April 30: The diplomatic relation between Nepal and the United States has entered 75 years. A number of programs were organized this week to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Nepal-US diplomatic relations.
US Secretary of State Anthony J Blinken said the bilateral cooperation between Nepal and the US has brought incredible changes in Nepal's governance, economic development and international engagement.
"Today, we mark 75 years of U.S.-Nepal diplomatic relations. Nepal has seen incredible changes in its governance, economic development, and international engagements. We are proud of our accomplishments as partners, and look forward to many more decades of friendship," he tweeted on Friday.
A special program was organized on Friday by the US Embassy in Kathmandu to mark the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, his cabinet colleagues, senior government officials, politicians, civil society leaders and journalists were among those participating in the event.
Addressing the gathering, US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry said the shared story of Nepal and the US is a partnership between American people and Nepali people. "It is the story of 75 years of friendship,"said Ambassador Berry. "Our common humanity – and all that makes us more similar to one another than dissimilar – has been at the core of everything we have done since 1947."
Ambassador Berry said that it is the enduring personal bonds between our people that provide the depth to, and sustain, every facet of our relationship. "We see these enduring personal bonds exemplified in the almost 4,000 Peace Corps volunteers that have served here in Nepal since 1962," he further said.
Ambassador Berry also highlighted various aspects of bilateral cooperation and development partnership that the countries engaged in the past 75 years. These include cooperation in health, education, development of physical infrastructures and Nepal's democratic transformation.
"We see this over the more than 60 years where USAID has contributed to some of Nepal’s most dramatic and remarkable development successes, including laying Nepal’s first roads; installing its first telephone exchange; practically eliminating malaria from the Terai region; enabling agriculture to flourish in once uninhabitable regions of the country; increasing literacy rates; and drastically reducing child mortality," he further said.
US Ambassador Berry tastes Aila and says, “It’s strong!”
"Let me be clear: this partnership is good for both of our countries. We recognize that America is stronger when Nepal is stronger, that Americans are healthier when Nepalis are healthier, that America’s sovereignty will be stronger if Nepal’s sovereignty is strong and resolute. That is why our mission ties America’s future to Nepal’s future," he added.
Full text of Ambassador Berry's speech
Namaste and good evening.
I am grateful that so many of you took time to join tonight’s celebration. Our shared story is a partnership between the American people and the Nepali people. It is the story of 75 years of friendship.
Our common humanity – and all that makes us more similar to one another than dissimilar – has been at the core of everything we have done since 1947.
And to this day, it is the enduring personal bonds between our people that provide the depth to, and sustain, every facet of our relationship.
We see these enduring personal bonds exemplified in the almost 4,000 Peace Corps volunteers that have served here in Nepal since 1962.
We see these bonds in the entrepreneurs from American IT companies who have created high-tech jobs for Nepalis here in Nepal.
We see these personal ties in the Millennium Challenge Corporation, as it prepares to work alongside Nepal’s department of roads to improve road maintenance and safety and helping convert Nepal’s hydropower potential into hydropower reality.
We see this partnership between our people in the more than 45,000 Nepali families who, thanks to reconstruction support from USAID’s engineers, masons, and community liaisons, have moved back into their homes that were destroyed by the 2015 earthquake.
We see this over the more than 60 years where USAID has contributed to some of Nepal’s most dramatic and remarkable development successes, including laying Nepal’s first roads; installing its first telephone exchange; practically eliminating malaria from the Terai region; enabling agriculture to flourish in once uninhabitable regions of the country; increasing literacy rates; and drastically reducing child mortality.
We see these personal bonds in the thousands of Nepalis that have learned firsthand about American values and culture through exchange programs such as Fulbright, Humphrey, and the International Visitor Leadership Program who have contributed greatly to institutions and communities in the United States.
We see the power of our people-to-people ties as USAID, Nepali experts, and people like former U.S. President Jimmy Carter have partnered together to help Nepal hold its historic elections.
We see these bonds forged in American tourists, who travel here to marvel at Nepal’s majestic beauty, support small and women-owned businesses in Nepal, and who learn from Nepal’s cultural and spiritual traditions.
We see these personal relationships in American judges, prosecutors, and police officers working alongside their Nepali counterparts to help strengthen the rule of law.
We saw the power of our personal ties in the six U.S. Marines in a U.S. military helicopter who flew a dangerous mission to help save Nepalis injured in the 2015 earthquake—and sacrificed their lives to that spirit of partnership. It is the U.S. military specialists who help Nepal build its own military capabilities to participate in peacekeeping operations and for rapid response when natural disasters strike and Nepali lives are at risk.
And we see the partnership between our peoples embodied in the United States’ commitment to help Nepalis beat the COVID-19 pandemic, having donated nearly 3.8 million vaccine doses (no strings attached) and more than $122 million in assistance provided to-date in the form of life-saving medical supplies, training, and technical support.
And we will build on this story and partnership with the people and Government of Nepal, the private sector, civil society, and local organizations through USAID’s recently approved $659 million dollar assistance agreement to boost food security, expand and broaden economic growth, sustainably manage natural resources, improve quality health care and education systems, bolster democratic governance, and strengthen Nepal’s capacity to mitigate and respond to natural disasters.
Let me be clear: this partnership is good for both of our countries. We recognize that America is stronger when Nepal is stronger, that Americans are healthier when Nepalis are healthier, that America’s sovereignty will be stronger if Nepal’s sovereignty is strong and resolute. That is why our mission ties America’s future to Nepal’s future.
As we embark on the next 75 years of the U.S.-Nepal relationship, I want all Nepalis – of all ages and all backgrounds – to know that the United States has a deep and abiding affection for Nepal. Americans are drawn to Nepal’s natural beauty, your cultural richness, your ethnic diversity, your delicious food, the majestic mountains, the roaring rivers, and the incredible wildlife. But most of all, we are drawn to you, the Nepali people, whose warm hospitality is world-famous.
And that is the bedrock of our relationship that will propel us forward and allow our people to collaborate in new, exciting, and transformative ways. The best is yet to come.
Thank you. Namaste.
