- Nepal and Canada held their fourth Bilateral Consultation Mechanism meeting to strengthen ties in clean energy, trade, and climate action.
- Officials discussed expanding cooperation in hydropower and sustainable development while addressing shared climate change challenges and disaster risk reduction.
- The meeting highlighted Nepal's investment opportunities in IT and tourism, encouraging Canadian companies to support the country's green economic transition.
- Both nations reaffirmed their long-standing partnership and commitment to democracy, human rights, and global peace through multilateral cooperation.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal and Canada are seeking to strengthen their longstanding partnership by expanding cooperation in clean energy, climate action, trade, and investment as the two countries mark more than six decades of diplomatic relations.
The commitment was expressed during the fourth meeting of the Nepal–Canada Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) held in Kathmandu on Monday, where senior officials from both countries discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation and create new opportunities for economic growth and people-to-people connections.
The meeting was co-chaired by Dilip Kumar Paudel, Joint Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Jean-Christian Brillant, Director General for South Asia at Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.
The discussions reflected the changing priorities of both countries, with a focus on addressing global challenges such as climate change, promoting sustainable development, attracting investment, and expanding cooperation in emerging sectors.
Canadian officials appreciated Nepal’s efforts toward a green economic transition, particularly its progress in hydropower development, renewable energy promotion, electric vehicle adoption, and democratic governance. They highlighted Nepal’s potential as a partner in the global transition toward clean energy and sustainable development.
Nepali officials used the meeting as an opportunity to showcase the country’s economic reforms and investment opportunities. They briefed the Canadian delegation on measures taken to improve the investment environment and encouraged Canadian companies to explore opportunities in sectors including hydropower, tourism, information technology, agriculture, and infrastructure development.
Nepal has identified clean energy and sustainable infrastructure as key areas for economic transformation. Officials from both sides emphasized the importance of converting Nepal’s natural resources and development potential into stronger economic cooperation and mutual benefits.
Climate change was another major area of discussion during the meeting. Nepal, situated in the Himalayan region, remains highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including glacier melting, floods, landslides, and unpredictable weather patterns. Canadian officials expressed interest in expanding cooperation in climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and environmental protection.
The two countries also discussed the need to enhance trade and investment relations. Despite strong diplomatic ties, bilateral trade and economic cooperation remain below their potential. Both sides agreed that greater private-sector engagement, improved trade facilitation, and stronger business connections are necessary to expand economic relations.
Nepal and Canada established diplomatic relations in 1965, and their partnership has developed over the past six decades through cooperation in areas such as education, governance, poverty reduction, gender equality, and community development.
People-to-people relations have also become an important part of Nepal–Canada ties. A growing Nepali community in Canada and increasing numbers of Nepali students pursuing higher education in Canadian institutions have contributed to stronger cultural, educational, and social links between the two countries.
Nepal and Canada have also cooperated closely in international forums, particularly through the United Nations. Both countries share commitments to democracy, human rights, multilateral cooperation, and global peace efforts, including UN peacekeeping missions.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed to continue regular consultations under the BCM framework to maintain momentum in bilateral cooperation. The next meeting of the mechanism will be held in Canada.
As Nepal seeks international partnerships to support economic transformation and Canada continues to strengthen its engagement with South Asia, both countries believe that their relationship can evolve into a more dynamic partnership based on clean energy, innovation, investment, and shared global priorities.
