Taskforce suggests restructuring of foreign policy
The High-level Foreign Policy Review Taskforce, constituted by the Government of Nepal, submitted its report to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, KP Sharma Oli, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thursday.
Addressing a programme oganised at the foreign ministry to submit the report of the High-level Foreign Policy Review Taskforce, DPM Oli said, "The objectives and priorities of our foreign policy has to be transformed to make it more people oriented and focused on economic diplomacy. The people and our national interest should be at the center of our foreign policy objectives and our diplomatic apparatus have to reorient themselves to cater the rising expectations of the people."
He further said, "Conventional practice of Nepali diplomacy needs a change befitting the modifications in the objectives and priorities of the nation. As the country has firmly resolved that locus of sovereign power lies with the people, there is no supreme interest beyond that of the nation and its people."
Oli stressed that Nepal will resolutely strive for establishing permanent peace and that the country is no longer a democracy and human rights defaulter.
Coordinator of the taskforce Murari Raj Sharma, former foreign secretary and Nepal's permanent representative to the United Nations, stated that the taskforce has prepared the report keeping in mind the spirit of the historic people's movement and the aspirations of the people expressed through it.
"Delivery of the economic development to the reach of the people is a must for a sustainable democracy and peace in any country. Therefore, the Taskforce has emphasized the need to mainstreaming of economic diplomacy in our overall foreign policy goal rather than treating it as an appendix of it," he said adding, "For that, our diplomatic apparatus, both at headquarters and abroad, need to be restructured and refined and our diplomats should be result-oriented."
He further said, "Not only there must be public-private partnership to achieve the goals of economic diplomacy, it is also essential to bring visible change in the performance of our missions." Adequate funding and robust policy guidelines with requisite human resources is a prerequisite to enable the diplomatic apparatus accomplish its expected roles, Sharma emphasized.
Acting foreign secretary Bhagirath Basnet said that the suggestions contained in the report would be instrumental in streamlining the priorities of Nepal's foreign policy and functions of the relevant stakeholders of the Government of Nepal.
The taskforce has among others, suggested for restructure of the foreign ministry, decreasing the size of military force, involving more experts in the foreign ministry, transparency while nominating envoys and maintain the foreign policy to suit the changed political context.
The taskforce was formed on July 18 with a mandate to suggest the priorities and content for Nepal's foreign policy in the newer political circumstances.
Foreign diplomats based in Kathmandu, high-ranking government officials, ex-diplomats and distinguished personalities in the non-state sector, had attended the function. nepalnews.com ia Aug 18 06
