Ambassador Appointments Delayed Amidst PM and Party Chairman Discussions

Kathmandu. The appointment of ambassadors to various Nepali embassies, which have been vacant for a long time, has not yet been finalized. The appointment process is reportedly delayed because discussions are ongoing between Prime Minister Balen Shah and Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Ravi Lamichhane regarding who to appoint as ambassador to key countries. Following the recall of 17 ambassadors prematurely by the government led by the then Sushila Karki and the government led by Prime Minister Balen Shah, new ambassadors have not yet been sent to those posts. The Nepali embassies in America, China, India, Australia, Germany, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Oman, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Spain have been without ambassadors for a long time. Similarly, the four-year terms of the Nepali ambassadors in Egypt, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the UN mission in Vienna have ended. They were preparing to return to Nepal, but the government has extended their tenure for some time and kept them working. The government plans to appoint ambassadors to a total of 21 embassies simultaneously, including these. However, the appointment is being delayed due to the lack of finalization at the high level. Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs completed all its tasks and sent the file to the Prime Minister's Office months ago, the appointment of ambassadors remains uncertain as no decision has been made from there. After the government closed the embassies in South Africa, Brazil, and Denmark from this fiscal year, only 28 embassies will remain. Among the affected 21 embassies, three have been abolished, and the tenure of ambassadors in four embassies has been extended. The remaining 13 embassies are being run by acting ambassadors, while only 7 embassies have ambassadors working from the diplomatic service. Former ambassador Nilambar Acharya stated that the government should appoint ambassadors immediately, as having embassies vacant for such a large number and for such a long time sends a negative message internationally. He added that appointing ambassadors soon would be beneficial as they play a significant role in strengthening international relations. However, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the absence of ambassadors has not significantly impacted daily operations. The ministry stated that since experienced and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are serving as acting ambassadors, there have been no difficulties in daily work. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that daily work has not been affected, as acting ambassadors in America, China, and India are at the secretary level, while officials at the undersecretary level are in other locations. However, a joint secretary from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, 'Although daily work is not affected by acting ambassadors, the absence of ambassadors does have an impact. The perception of ambassadors and acting ambassadors is different.' The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had invited applications for ambassadors to 13 countries on May 14, 2083 BS, with over four thousand applications received. The ministry shortlisted the candidates and sent the file to the Prime Minister's Office. However, sources indicate that the file is stuck there due to disagreements between Prime Minister Balen Shah and Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Ravi Lamichhane. The main issue is reportedly the disagreement over who to appoint as ambassadors to India, China, and America. According to sources in the Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Balen wants to send suitable individuals to India, China, and America, as these are very important countries for Nepal. The source claims that no applications from suitable candidates have been received. Some retired officials from the Nepali Army have also applied for the ambassadorial positions. Although there is discussion about appointing one of them as ambassador to India, America, and China, Chairman Lamichhane is reportedly hesitant. Sources say that sending former military personnel to these countries would send the wrong message, and this is still a subject of discussion.