By Our Reporter
Nepal and Russia have marked 70 years of diplomatic relations with a series of commemorative events, including high-level bilateral consultations held in Kathmandu on October 7.
The bilateral consultations, which concluded on Wednesday (October 7), reviewed the overall state of relations between Nepal and the Russian Federation. The two sides expressed appreciation for the longstanding friendship and close partnership between the two countries and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in a range of areas, including education, human resource development, culture, tourism, climate change, trade and investment.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegations briefed each other on political and economic developments in their respective countries and discussed ways to expand mutually beneficial cooperation.
The meeting coincided with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Russia. Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko co-chaired the consultations.
The Russian delegation included Russian Ambassador to Nepal Aleksei Surovtsev, officials from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomats from the Russian Embassy in Kathmandu. The Nepali delegation comprised Ganesh Prasad Dhakal, Head of the Europe Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, officials from the Foreign Ministry and representatives of relevant sectoral ministries.
Following the consultations, Foreign Secretary Rai hosted a luncheon in honour of Deputy Foreign Minister Rudenko and members of the visiting delegation.
The Protocol on Consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation was signed on September 5, 1995, providing a formal framework for regular bilateral consultations.
Similarly, the Russian Embassy in Kathmandu hosted a reception the same evening to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Foreign Minister Rudenko highlighted the longstanding ties between Russia and Nepal and appreciated Nepal’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations.
Nepal and the former Soviet Union formally established diplomatic relations on July 20, 1956. The relationship has since expanded beyond traditional diplomatic engagement to encompass education, culture, science, health, energy and other areas of cooperation.
Education has been one of the most enduring pillars of Nepal-Russia relations. Over the past seven decades, more than 7,000 Nepali citizens have studied at Soviet and Russian universities, with many contributing to Nepal’s civil service, academic institutions, scientific community and industrial sectors.
Following the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Soviet Embassy opened in Kathmandu in 1958. Cooperation programmes subsequently developed in areas including education, healthcare and energy. Soviet specialists worked in Nepal, while Nepali students travelled to the Soviet Union for higher education, particularly in Moscow and Leningrad.
The people-to-people dimension of the relationship has remained an important element of bilateral ties. Cultural exchanges, academic cooperation, scientific links, language programmes and educational opportunities have helped strengthen connections between the two societies beyond formal government-to-government relations.
Rossotrudnichestvo has also played a role in promoting cultural and educational exchanges between Russia and partner countries. Its institutional history dates back to VOKS, the All-Union Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, which promoted cultural relations between the Soviet Union and other countries.
The 70th anniversary thus provides an opportunity for Nepal and Russia to reflect on seven decades of diplomatic engagement while exploring new avenues for cooperation in the changing regional and global environment.
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