New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters Holds High-Level Meetings in Nepal

Kathmandu: New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, is on an official visit to Nepal, the first ever by a New Zealand Foreign Minister. His arrival marks a historic milestone in Nepal–New Zealand relations, which date back to the iconic first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay of Nepal and Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand.

On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Peters paid separate courtesy calls on President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

At Sheetal Niwas, President Paudel welcomed the visiting dignitary and highlighted the longstanding friendship between the two countries. He acknowledged the contributions of initiatives like the Himalayan Trust and underscored the importance of educational exchanges and people-to-people ties in deepening bilateral relations.

Later, during talks at Baluwatar, Prime Minister Oli briefed Peters on the government’s national priorities, emphasizing Nepal’s pursuit of prosperity through political stability, good governance, economic development, social justice, and transformation, all under the vision of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali.”

Similarly, Peters commended Nepal’s development efforts and underscored the importance of solidarity and collaboration among small nations on global platforms. He also reiterated New Zealand’s interest in expanding cooperation in areas such as agriculture, tourism, education, trade, and investment.

Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba also met with Deputy Prime Minister Peters and described their meeting as “excellent,” expressing optimism about further enhancing ties between the two nations.