Kathmandu: A festive reception hosted by the Russian Embassy in Nepal was held at the Soaltee Hotel in Kathmandu as part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Nepal on October 7. The event was timed to coincide with the visit of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, who arrived in Nepal at the head of the Russian delegation for bilateral consultations between the foreign ministries.
Among the guests of the evening were prominent representatives of the Nepali government, including Nepal’s Minister of Home Affairs Sudhan Gurung, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Dipak Kumar Sah, and Ganesh Prasad Dhakal, Joint Secretary and Head of the Europe Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal.
Andrey Rudenko addressed the guests with a welcoming speech in which, congratulating them on the anniversary of diplomatic relations, he highlighted its main milestones. The USSR and Nepal officially established diplomatic relations on July 20, 1956. The results of cooperation with the Soviet Union, which under King Mahendra became one of the priorities of Nepal’s foreign policy, changed the face of the country: the USSR helped build hydropower plants, factories, a hospital and highways free of charge. The Russian diplomat confirmed that Russia is ready to expand cooperation with Nepal, attaching particular importance to industry, agriculture and energy.
The importance of humanitarian exchanges was also stressed. Over seven decades of friendly relations, about 6,000 Nepalis received higher education in Russia, becoming doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs. Quite a few of them were among the guests at the reception. Andrey Rudenko thanked the alumni association of Soviet and Russian universities, Mitra Kunj, for its active and useful work, as well as other public organizations involved in developing bilateral exchanges. He said that Russia seeks to ensure continuity between generations and is taking steps so that Nepali students can continue studying at Russian universities.
Andrey Rudenko praised the work of the Russian House in Kathmandu, which, together with the Nepal–Russia Friendship and Cultural Association, prepared the historical photo exhibition “Russia–Nepal: 70 Years of Friendship and Cooperation,” shown at the reception. Russian Ambassador to Nepal Alexey Surovtsev stressed that 70 years of relations are not only an occasion to take stock, but also a solid foundation for future partnership.
