Press Release
At the invitation of His Excellency Mr. Don Pramudwinai Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand as the current Chair of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Honourable Mr. Kamal Thapa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs is leaving Kathmandu today to attend the 14th Ministerial Meeting of the ACD as the Guest of the Chair, which is being held in Bangkok on 9-10 March 2016.Hon’ble Mr. Thapa is leading a six-member delegation of Nepal to the meeting.
The agenda of the Ministerial Meeting includes the decision on Nepal’s membership to the ACD.The Meeting is expected to endorse Nepal as its 34th member. On the occasion, Hon’ble Mr. Thapa is scheduled to address the Ministerial Meeting on 10 March 2016.
ACD was established in Thailand in June 2002 with the main objectives of promoting interdependence among Asian countries in all areas of cooperation; expanding trade and financial market within Asia and enhancing Asia’s economic competitiveness in the global market; and,ultimately, transforming the Asian continent into an Asian Community.
Currently, the regional body has 33 members from across Asia.
The Nepalese delegation led by Hon’ble Mr. Thapa comprises His Excellency Mr. Khaga Nath Adhikari, Ambassador of Nepal to the Kingdom of Thailand, Mr. Mani Prasad Bhattarai, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other government officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Nepal to the Kingdom of Thailand.
Honb’le Mr. Thapa will leave Bangkok for New Delhi on 10 March 2016 to attend the World Culture Festival as the Guest of Honour. The Festival is being organized by the Art of Living International Center.
Hon’ble Mr. Thapa is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on 12 March 2016.