Kathmandu: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal is set to embark on his maiden overseas visit, becoming the first Cabinet minister to travel abroad following the formation of the Balendra Shah-led government on March 27. He will leave for Mauritius on April 9 to attend the ninth Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) scheduled for April 10–12.
The conference is being jointly organised by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the India Foundation, and the Government of Mauritius. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chettri said preparations for Khanal’s participation are underway. The minister is expected to address the gathering and hold bilateral meetings with several counterparts from Asia and Africa, including Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Held under the theme “Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance,” the event will focus on regional cooperation. Officials say the conference will provide Khanal an opportunity to present the new government’s foreign policy priorities and strengthen Nepal’s diplomatic outreach.
