Nepal Foreign Minister Returns After Key FAO Address, Bilateral Talks in Italy and Germany

Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba returned home following a high-level multilateral and bilateral engagement in Italy and Germany, where she underscored Nepal’s food security goals, climate vulnerability, and economic aspirations on global platforms.

Dr. Rana represented Nepal at the 44th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, held from June 28 to July 4, and participated in a ministerial conference on its sidelines. 

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Addressing the main session, she affirmed Nepal’s recognition of the right to food as a constitutional right, highlighting policy reforms such as regulatory frameworks, food quality surveillance, and consumer protection.

Drawing attention to the unique challenges of least developed, island, and landlocked nations, the Foreign Minister called for urgent global climate action. 

She urged international donors to provide grant-based climate finance to support sustainable agriculture, particularly in Nepal’s climate-vulnerable mountain regions.

During her subsequent stop in Germany, Dr. Rana held bilateral talks with German Foreign Minister Dr. Johann David Wadephul in Berlin. The leaders discussed strengthening Nepal-Germany ties, enhancing bilateral trade, and promoting private sector partnerships. 

She proposed German investment in Nepal's fertilizer production sector and called for the resumption of direct flights between Nepal and Germany.

Minister Rana also requested Germany’s support for Nepal's efforts to lift the European Union’s ban on Nepali airlines, referencing Nepal’s ongoing reforms in alignment with EU and ICAO safety standards. 

Additionally, she sought Germany’s backing for Nepal's candidacies to international forums, including the UN Human Rights Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

On the sidelines of both visits, Dr. Rana also participated in investment promotion events hosted by Nepal’s Investment Board, aimed at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in sectors including infrastructure, tourism, and sustainable agriculture.

She was received at Tribhuvan International Airport by Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and senior ministry officials.