Time to rewrite the constitution
“It is time to move beyond the idea of political stability to the idea of constitutional stability.” Prime Minister KP Oli’s move to dissolve Parliament has unleashed a phase of political uncertainty which could devour more than the legislative body. Oli’s political endgame is not clear; it has brought into play internal political conflict, foreign…
Why are the Nepali politicians afraid of Sarita Giri?
Who is Sarita Giri? Sarita Giri has been in political talks over the past couple of weeks. In an effort to retaliate India’s unilateral construction of trade link road via Lipulekh, the Oli government issued a new political map and decided to amend the constitution, and since then, Sarita Giri has been expressing controversial statements.…
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Realignment, Post COVID-19
The world must understand that the virus is the sole enemy as of now. Instead of increasing complications, it will be in the best interest of each country to work together and develop an antidote.
Nepali and Chinese Perspectives on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Nepal
A. Nepali Perspective: With the current visit of a Chinese delegation led by its foreign minister Wang Yi, Nepal’s hope of seeing Xi Jinping in Nepal has heightened. Wang’s visit gave a positive impression to Nepal for the long-awaited visit of the Chinese president. After meeting Wang, Nepali leaders said that China has been using…
End of the ‘tacking’ strategy
With deeper integration, Nepal may no longer be able to swing freely between India and China as in the past. Since 1951, when the people overthrew the Ranas, Nepal has used the strategy of ‘tacking’ to sail through the influence exerted by China and India. For example, in 1956, King Mahendra appointed Tanka Prasad Acharya…
News Digest – International Relations & Foreign Affairs (April 29-May 5)
China strives to influence South-Asian region in absence of India Foreign relation analysts and experts have observed that major geopolitical shifts as a result of the Covid-19 catastrophe. While there are joint efforts being made internationally to fight against Covid-19, the powerful countries have viewed this as an opportunity to assert political and economic influence.…
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News Digest – International Relations & Foreign Affairs (April 22 – 28, 2021)
Photos: RSS Chinese foreign minister to meet Pradeep Gyawali A virtual meeting is scheduled on May 27 between Chinese and Nepali Foreign Ministers. In the meeting issues related to management of Covid crisis, including the vaccines will be discussed. China has prioritised the management of Covid-19 in the South Asian Region. China has agreed to…
Continue Reading News Digest – International Relations & Foreign Affairs (April 22 – 28, 2021)
News Digest – International Relations & Foreign Affairs (April 08 – 15, 2021)
Photo: RSS Medical Equipment donated by Embassy of Israel National Trauma Centre NAMS received ABG machine and patient monitor from Israeli Embassy to fight against the pandemic and provide other health services. Israeli Embassy issued a press release stating that it is looking ahead for extending future cooperation with Nepal in several sectors encompassing health…
Continue Reading News Digest – International Relations & Foreign Affairs (April 08 – 15, 2021)
News Digest – International Relations & Foreign Affairs (April 01 – 07, 2021)
Photo: RSS The virtual Ministerial meeting of BIMSTEC was held on April 1 and included all seven member states. Member states discussed the agenda of the meeting, which was to incorporate finalizing the BIMSTEC Charter and fixing the date of the fifth summit. According to report, the meeting also addressed other matters such as norm…
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News Digest – International Relations & Foreign Affairs (February 18 – February 24, 2021)
Photo: RSS Baburam Bhattarai to visit India: Former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattari of Janata Samajwadi Party is in India for a week; he left on February 21. During his visit, he will be visiting a few politicians and officials. According to the media reports, he will be engaged with political meetings for only a…
Monthly Analysis: March 2021
MONTHLY ANALYSIS March 2021 Table of contents: A. Domestic Politics: Mahesh KushwhaaB. Governance: Shaleen ShahC. Federalism: Phiroj ChaudharyD. International and Foreign Affairs: Ajaya Bhadra KhanalE: National Security and Climate Change: Shuvangi Poudyal. A. DOMESTIC POLITICS 1. Timeline of Important Political Events in March, 2021 1.1 The Communist Party(ies): Dates and events:March 3: Nepal Communist Party…
Nepal’s inevitable geopolitical dilemma
The Supreme Court’s verdict stating the reinstatement of the parliament on February 23 was internationally applauded. The verdict came after PM Oli decided to dissolve the parliament unconstitutionally in December and called for fresh elections. The judiciary body’s verdict will also likely push Oli under a no-confidence vote. Nepal’s political instability comes at a time…
Nepal’s foreign affairs in a state of flux
Photo: RSS Nepal’s relations with India, China and the US are in a state of flux and may become clearer with the next change in government. It may be the reason why Nepal’s political instability has generated concern among Nepal’s immediate neighbours, prompting increased diplomatic activity. The ambassadors of China and India met Sher Bahadur…
COVID 19 and Vaccine Diplomacy
Image: RSS On January 15, Nepal received an approval for the emergency use of “Covishield”, developed by the University of Oxford and Pharmaceutical Company AstraZeneca, and manufactured in India. The news came amidst Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali’s high level visit to New Delhi. All eyes were on Gyawali as it was his first visit to…
Nepal and Geopolitics
Image: Xinhua The parliamentary dissolution of December 20, 2020, by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli has had severe ramification in the domestic and international political scenario. At the national level, this has caused the Nepal Communist party (NCP) to split, and at the international level, this is viewed as major geopolitical loss for China, while…
News Digest (July 02– July 08, 2020)
The discrimination faced by transgender community in society is persistent and the government lacks in taking sufficient action to ensure their rights.
Monthly News Analysis – July 2019
Summary Federalism and democratization followed by credible transfer of power to the intermediate classes—people who provide support to the political elites in return for privileges and benefits—has helped Nepal attain relative peace and stability. The possibility of political and social stability depends on many factors including the relations between the state, political elites, and the…
Monthly News Analysis – June 2019
Summary The US has been tightening its grip in the South Asian region alluring the countries with additional financial assistance. Nepal as a country in South Asian region cannot remain unaffected of the US assertion and has already received a huge commitment under the MCC. However, Nepal should have a coherent foreign policy in projecting…
News Digest June 8-14, 2019
Ruling Party Policy, Programmes, and Budget Members of the National Assembly expressed doubt over effective implementation of the budget. The members in the discussion at the Assembly claimed that budget was estimated without any homework.[1] Likewise, Financial Comptroller General Office reported that the government spent only 46.22 percent of budget in the current fiscal year.…
News Digest (August 13 – August 19, 2020)
40 District Administration Offices (DOPs) have imposed partial or complete prohibition in different areas after a spike in the Coronavirus cases.
Nepal’s trade relations with its neighbors and the role of economic diplomacy
Photo: RSS Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) organized a webinar on February 24, 2020, focusing on “Nepal’s trade relations with its neighbors and the role of economic diplomacy.” Speakers: Mr Purushottam Ojha – He served as the Secretary of Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies. He is currently a freelance consultant in the…
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Disputes on the Northern Border of Nepal—The Case of Humla
Photo: RSS Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) held an event on February 9, 2021, focusing on ‘Disputes on the Northern Border of Nepal – The Case of Humla’ at Hotel Summit, Sanepa, Lalitpur. Jiwan Bahadur Shahi, Karnali Province’s opposition Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker, was the chief presenter at the event. Former Director…
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BRI Summit Re-strengthening International Relations
International relations, being interdisciplinary in nature, connects nations from political, economic and cultural aspects. The practices and trends in global interstate system stimulate individual states to behave in the favor of its national interest. National policies and agendas are built to blend with the global trends within the boundaries of international laws. One state’s processes,…
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