Recently, President Ramchandra Paudel paid an official visit to two of the important European countries- Federal Republic of Germany and Swiss Confederation, with which Nepal established diplomatic relations in 1958 and 1956, respectively. As they are Nepal’s trusted development partners since cold-war era, her bilateral relations with Germany and Switzerland have been important from strategic and economic perspectives. Currently, according to politico, Germany, which has gradually been overcoming the state of financial depression subsequent to Ukraine and Russia war, is recognized as world’s 3rd largest economy in the world with a GDP of 4.5 trillion. On the other hand, the Swiss Confederation, is the world’s 3rd richest landlocked nations with GDP per Capita 88,760, in 2022, as per worldometer. He also took part in the ILO’s 112thInternational Conference as the keynote speaker at the inaugural session. It is relevant to mention that when the bilateral ties with Germany and Switzerland were knotted, instability had engulfed not only Europe but also the South-Asia region, yet in the midst of cold a war raising its hydra-heads across the globe. Even when Nepal joined the ILO in 1966, as being already the Non-Aligned Movement member in 1961, the cold-war was incessant and was inducing schism to divide the entire world into two hostile camps.
President Paudel’s first-ever official visit to a foreign land, since he took office in March 2023, was postponed following a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 in November last year having Jajarkot and Rukum districts of western Nepal as its epicenter. As, a few hours prior of his departure, the earthquake claimed at least 155 lives and hundreds were injured, on top of massive property damage and displacement of families; President decided to remain in the country yet among families of victims. Following the postponement of visit, President had instantly toured the earthquake affected areas and had shown his gestures of empathy to injured and families of the deceased.
Revitalizing Acme Level Visit
The head of the state level exchange of visits between Nepal and Germany and Switzerland had been absent for decades. According to available information, the president of Switzerland visited Nepal twenty-seven years ago. President Arnold Keller had paid an official visit to Nepal from Nov. 9-12, 1997. From the Nepal side, late king Birendra had paid a state visit to Germany in 1986, which was reciprocated by President Roman Herzog after a decade in 1996. Before Herzog’s visit, President Heinric Luebke had visited Nepal in the month of July 1967, following the establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries in 1958. A few years ago, in the month of June 2017, President Mrs. Bidya Devi Bhandari visited Switzerland. But the President’s this visit, according to MoFA mandarin, was not beyond addressing the ILO’s important International Conference on “World of Work Summit: A better future for women at work.” In view of scanty interactions at the acme level, yet with close and friendly nations of Europe who have always been with Nepal through thick and thin, this visit, by Nepal’s head of state, has fulfilled the subsisting long gap.
Solidarity for Social Justice:
The ILO, now comprising 186 out of 193 UN member nations, was joined by Nepal fifty-eight years ago in 1966. This time, Nepal’s solidarity with the ILO’s international campaign for “Global Solidarity for Social Justice” for 2024-year, was an integral part of Presidential sojourn. At the inaugural session of the conference, Director General Gilbert F. Houngbo welcomed president Paudel highlighting latter’s democratic credentials, struggleful life, jail imprisonment for more than fourteen years for the principles of democracy and social justice under despotic rule. At the outset, President, while affirming his country’s camaraderie with the ILO’s international campaign for social justice at the global level and also highlighted about Nepal’s effortfulness in implementing international labor agreements, told the delegates that the basic law of Nepal had already guaranteed rights to employment, forming trade unions, and right to participate in collective bargaining. He however alerted all at the conference about new challenges posed by revolution in IT sector, which had given births to digital, gig, care and so many other forms of economies, which urgently required a Safe and Descent Work and Working Places, globally. As the theme of Social Justice was central to the conference, President Paudel cautioned, “Without justice to the helpless and economic-gains to the destitute; nations around the world can’t achieve the goal of Social Justice.” On the occasion, he also briefly delved into the climate induced socioeconomic inequalities and displacement of people. Hence, the issue of climate refugee in Mustang district of Nepal was highlighted also by CoP 26 held in Glasgow. President Paudel’s voice on climate change and its ramifications on socioeconomic aspects in society was echoed also by Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in his address at the concluding session of the conference. Subsequent to his speech, Paudel was greeted with standing-ovation by the delegates and participants comprising, besides tripartite constituents of industrial relations: government, workers and private employer; also, by activists, supplicants, and institutions that were dedicated to the cause of workers/laborers all over the world.
Enlarging Scope of Partnership
In Bern, in the afternoon of 12th of June, Nepal’s President was warmly received by Swiss President Viola Amherd at her office for bilateral talks. Following their maiden handshake and exchange of a very brief pleasantries, President Amherd and Paudel introduced their members of dialogue team. Subsequent to it, the bilateral talks started with Swiss President’s welcome remark. While expressing her satisfaction over subsisting bilateral relations between two countries, President Amherd said that democracy, peace and human rights were areas of her country’s interest and would like to see them being flourished in Nepal. She, during her talks, also did mention about the transitional justice as an area wherein her government was interested to work with. In his turn, President Paudel, while lavishing praise at Swiss democracy and exemplary model of governance; highlighted about progressive provisions of the Nepalese constitution. He specifically underlined about the inclusive characteristics of the Nepalese constitution and in that context, President highlighted about women’s representation in the legislature by 33%. Indeed, the latter aspect of Nepalese constitution was amazing for the Swiss side. He also intimated his opposite number that Nepal had been effortful for the socio-economic progress and prosperity after ensuring a democratic dispensation in the country. Some of other issues of mutual interests such as climate induced adversities and enhanced degree of assistance to Nepal after it was graduated as middle-income nation in 2026, too were deliberated. Seizing the opportunity, President underscored about the challenges posed by climate change. He said to his counterpart that, while Nepal was least responsible for carbon emission, it had been bearing the brunt of Climate Change. Hence, the climate crisis unleashed pitfalls on all realms of human lives across the globe. The Hindukush Himalayan range, which is extended up to 3500 km across eight countries, including Nepal, collectively cater fresh water to about two billion population in the region, which now reels under threat as its glaciers are melting rapidly due to climate change. Given precarious situation, President Paudel demanded climate justice to all resource-crunch nations. Following it, President Amherd and her participating team, had query about the areas wherein the Swiss government should invest its assistance. The president Paudel suggested that ago-forestry, mountain-tourism and hydro-power development were areas urgently needed Swiss cooperation for sociology-economic transformation of Nepal. Before concluding his speech, President Paudel also expressed his gratitude to Swiss Government for the continued Swiss assistance in Nepal’s endeavors for socio-economic uplift.
Following the conclusion of Swiss Confederation visit, president reached Berlin.In Germany, the bilateral meeting between two heads of states took place on 17th of June at the presidential Bellevue Palace in Berlin. As Nepal and Germany established diplomatic relations in 1958, the latter began its development cooperation to the former since 1961 with the package of technical assistance. If assessed, over the period of six and half decade, the relationship has deepened and expanded enormously. The areas of cooperation have not been limited to technical assistance, now it encompasses various realms of development including scientific collaboration, academic exchanges, technology transfer and cooperation in the field of governance and democracy. More recently, the Nepalese youth are being given employment while they are learning through “Ausbildung” or Dual Vocational Training program in Germany. In view of its significance, the program was even figured as note-worthy topic during the bilateral talks.
The acme-level meeting dwelt on various issues pertaining to mutual interests. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, while praising Nepal for siding with Ukraine at the UN, was particularly concerned about unlawful recruitment of the Nepalese in Russian army and their deployment against Ukraine. President Paudel raised the issue of Climate Crisis and its pitfalls specifically on resource crunch nations like Nepal. He also took the opportunity to request his counterpart to take initiatives for the release of six Nepalese who were under Ukraine’s custody as prisoners of war; lifting of ban on Nepali airlines in the European sky and so on.
Special Gesture of Affinity!
From the time of landing at the airport in Berlin until the hour of conclusion of visit, President Paudel was extended state-adoration. At the Presidential palace too, prior to the start of bilateral dialogue, there was a mammoth humility on both sides as President Steinmeier and Paudel, at their maiden touch, not only shook hands for a number of flashes but also looked at each other elatedly. An extra gesture of affinity was shown by President Steinmeier by assisting President Paudel when the latter seemed frail momentarily in the beginning of receiving guard of honor. As a sign of greater degree of intimacy, the one-on one meeting also was arranged for the two heads of states, which actually had surprised the Nepalese side.During their exclusive conversation, the two heads of states also briefly recalled their leaders namely Willy Brandt and BP Koirala as they had exemplary history of struggle for social democracy in their societies and also beyond.
In sum and substance, President Paudel’s a week-long, yet maiden, official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany and also to Swiss Confederation from 11-18 June, 2024; has made significant contributions to enhancing the image of Nepal at the international arena. It has not only invigorated the bilateral relations of Nepal with her traditional development partners in Europe, but also, through his meaningful participation at the 112th international conference of ILO, registered Nepal’s Solidarity with the ILO’s worldwide campaign for socially just world. It is indeed a milestone in the annals of diplomatic relationship. This visit, taken place after a long hiatus, has enlarged the scope of future partnership with world’s influential nations in the European region. Presidential visit also had exchanged ideas on various realms of mutual interests, including climate induced challenges, prospects of engagement with European environmentalists and SMEs, and so on, which should generate interests among German and Swiss entrepreneurs for investing in Nepal. On the occasion, President talked about shared responsibility to conserve environment, which had been unleashing pitfalls, specifically on to resource-poor nations. He also intimated European friends that how Nepal was effortful for its socio-economic uplift after ensuring a progressive democratic polity in the country. Nevertheless, Nepal’s trusted development partners, while were quite enthusiastic in continuing their assistance to Nepal in the latter’s endeavors for social transformation, also showed their curiosity about issues like illegitimate participation of Nepali nationals into Russian army and also about the status of transitional justice.
