‘We Must Equip Ourselves With Strategic Foresight’ – Foreign Secretary Rai

Kathmandu: The Foreign Ministry of Nepal has celebrated Jestha 10 as the Nepal Foreign Service Day on May 24. During the program, the Foreign Secretary Amrit Kumar Rai stated that we are navigating an era of intensifying global uncertainty, where alliances are shifting, institutions are under strain, and rules of global engagement are constantly being rewritten. He further added that from wars and economic upheavals to technological disruption and climate crisis, the world around us is in flux.

“In such turbulence, some ask: Does diplomacy still matter? Yes, it matters now more than ever. In fact, it may be the only profession that can bring adversaries to the same table,” he said. “As a Polish poet, Wislawa Szmborska once wrote, after every war, someone has to clean up. Things won’t straighten themselves up, after all. Someone is often a diplomat. Diplomacy is both a steady hand in a storm and a shield against it.”

He explained we must equip ourselves with strategic foresight, solution-oriented thinking, and bridge-building skills. We must continue to uphold our independent foreign policy, rooted in the UN Charter, non-alignment Panchsheel, and our constitutional values.

Secretary Rai said the institution of Nepal’s foreign office is one of the few oldest in Asia – a legacy that deserves reverence and revival. “While we must reflect and learn from our past and take inspiration from the road traversed by those who came before us, today I want to focus on what lies ahead of us,” he added.  

Rai also shared his vision on how we should prepare ourselves to serve the nation in the rapidly changing world – pervaded with both opportunities and challenges. “The foreign service is not just a profession – but it is a calling for solemn duty to safeguard Nepal’s national interest. It is not the privileges bestowed upon us that define the essence of diplomatic service – it is our unwavering commitment to the nation,” he said, while adding, “Whatever prestige or privilege we are entitled to flows from the sovereign people of Nepal. As their diplomatic representatives, our foremost duty is to serve them with absolute loyalty, integrity, and humanity.”

Moreover, Secretary Rai described, “Let us remind ourselves: foreign service is not a route to luxury or riches. It is a path of commitment. Commitment to serve our motherland. It is a higher duty to make our nation richer and stronger and to make our people prosperous and happier.” He also said our real wealth lies not in what we gain – but in what we give to the nation.