Australian ambassador pays courtesy call on PM Shah

Kathmandu . Australian Ambassador to Nepal Simon Ernst paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Balendra Shah at his office in Singha Durbar today.

In the meeting, Prime Minister Shah expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Australian government for their solidarity, goodwill, and humanitarian assistance to Nepal and its people during this difficult time caused by floods and disasters.He gave special thanks to Australia for the important support in search, rescue, and relief operations, for disaster assistance and deployment of disaster relief teams, for the help of expert personnel, and for providing necessary relief materials and equipment.

PM Shah mentioned that the 11 million Australian dollars in humanitarian aid announced by Australia is an important expression of its friendship and solidarity with Nepal.Discussions were also held on the occasion about relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction for the flood-affected community, as well as on the ongoing cooperation to reduce disaster risks and strengthen resilience in the days to come.

Prime Minister Shah also emphasized the importance of the international community’s joint efforts in addressing the increasing risks faced by mountainous countries like Nepal due to climate change, including easy, sufficient, and predictable access to financial mechanisms related to ‘loss and damage’.At the meeting, Ambassador Ernst expressed his sorrow over the damages Nepal suffered due to natural disasters. He also praised Nepal’s strong and effective presence recently at the United Nations.

During the meeting, views were also exchanged on various aspects of Nepal–Australia relations as well as disaster management, climate, human resource development, and long-term cooperation.