Kathmandu: The government of Rt. Hon. Balendra Shah completed first 100 days in office on July 4, 2026. PM Shah released a comprehensive 35-page progress report on various sectors on the occasion. Here follows the achievements related to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Ministry of Youth, Labor and Employment listed in the report.
As per the report, to make Nepal’s foreign policy more effective and balanced, a new diplomatic practice has begun where the Prime Minister holds collective briefings with foreign ambassadors. While strictly adhering to the diplomatic code of conduct, the official visits of Hon. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal to India and China have clarified the national stance regarding Nepal’s development priorities, bilateral relations and boundary disputes.
In addition, special priority has been given to formulating new country-specific strategies aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations with various countries to ensure the long-term interest and prosperity of the nation.
The progress report states, keeping citizen security at the center, a team with a 24-hour hotline was formed to address the West Asian crisis, successfully rescuing 1,047 individuals from that region and 819 individuals from Southeast Asia. The problems faced by Nepalis in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Portugal have been solved diplomatically.
Likewise, the ‘MOFA Mitra’ app has been launched to address issues such as the management of bodies of deceased citizens abroad as well as compensation. Consular services have been extended to 537 local levels, and the passport system has been simplified.
Within the honeymoon period, under transparent good governance, the process of appointing ambassadors through open competition has been initiated for the first time in the country’s history.
Through continuous efforts, the export of Nepali tea to India has been eased, while the issues related to the Gurkha soldiers with the UK and Nepal’s concerns at the Indian Ocean Conference have been raised. Following the United Nations’ declaration of April 15 as ‘International Wellness Day’ upon Nepal’s proposal, the ‘Wellness Tourism Strategy’ has been implemented.
An agreement to return 800-year-old historical artifacts from Germany has proceeded. Likewise, an innovative initiative, the ‘MoFA Summer Internship 2026’, has been launched to involve youths in foreign affairs.
A total of 1,047 individuals who were in distress due to the tensions and security situation arising in West Asia have been rescued. Similarly, 819 individuals working in illegally operated online scamming centers have been brought back to Nepal. Due to Nepal’s continuous diplomatic efforts, the governments of the UAE and Saudi Arabia have granted amnesty to 161 detained Nepalis.
Besides this, the report mentions that the Ministry of Youth, Labor and Employment played crucial roles in the area of labor and employment. To make foreign employment safer, more dignified, and better managed, the study on the ‘Digitization of the Foreign Employment System’ has been completed. Work is currently underway to build an integrated digital system covering the entire migration cycle of foreign employment.
A total of 1,004 cases/complaints regarding personal and institutional fraud related to foreign employment have been resolved, and compensation worth Rs. 30 crores 74 lakhs 20 thousand (307,420,000) has been recovered for the victimized citizens. While compensation worth Rs. 12 crores 67 lakhs (126,700,000) was provided to foreign employment victims in the 9 months prior to the formation of the government, within just 100 days after the formation of the government, more than Rs. 300 million [30 crores] in compensation has been recovered. Based on the monthly average, the rate of compensation recovery has increased by approximately 62.8%. Over the past three months, the case settlement rate has increased by 24.1%, and the rate of foreign employment victims receiving compensation has increased by 67.3%.
A total of 11,528 case and complaint files related to foreign employment since the year 2000 have been digitized. In order to digitize and track services related to foreign employment cases, investigations and compensation, the software named ‘ujuri.dofe.gov.np’ has been developed and is currently undergoing testing.
To amend the Foreign Employment Act, public feedback is being collected via the website. Furthermore, a task force has been formed to review and update the controversial “Free Visa, Free Ticket” policy decision, which has been under dispute since 2015, and the task force is currently conducting its study.
To provide transparent and accessible services to workers by focusing on technology and localization, arrangements have been made to provide all labor approval services within a single day through employment coordinators located at the local levels. Additionally, a digital web portal for medical examinations of individuals going for foreign employment has been developed and is currently being tested.
To minimize the exploitation of workers in foreign employment, an Action Command Center has been established in the Ministry of Labour, addressing 1,663 grievances. The “Operation Illegal Agent Clean-up” portal and its related campaign have been launched. Additionally, 5,391 grievances were resolved through the Shramadhan Call Center, and a 24/7 labor help desk has also been set up at the Tribhuvan International Airport.
Keeping labor diplomacy at the center, discussions were held with ministers/ambassadors of 11 countries, and the process for new labor agreements and renewals with eight major destination countries is underway. In addition, to create employment opportunities within the country, 2025-2035 has been declared as the “Employment Promotion Decade,” and the “National Employment Ecosystem Blueprint 2026” is being formulated.
