Bilateral meeting with H.E. Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal

Rome - On the margins of the 44th Session of the FAO Ministerial Conference, the FAO Director-General met with H.E. Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal.

The Director-General welcomed Minister Deuba to FAO Headquarters and expressed appreciation for Nepal’s longstanding support to the Organization and its active engagement in global efforts to promote food security and sustainable development.

Minister Deuba commended the Director-General’s leadership and acknowledged FAO’s important role in supporting countries like Nepal, particularly in the context of increasing climate vulnerability and food insecurity. She emphasized the urgent need to strengthen national research and scientific capacities, noting Nepal’s strong network of universities and academic institutions. She expressed interest in FAO’s support for training young scientists and technical experts, particularly in agrifood systems, and climate adaptation.

The Director-General acknowledged the Minister’s priorities and reiterated FAO’s commitment to supporting Nepal’s capacity development efforts. He encouraged the Government of Nepal to leverage strong political leadership to mobilize support from international financial institutions and development partners, thereby strengthening the role of national universities as centers of innovation and applied research.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation between FAO and Nepal and agreed to explore concrete opportunities for collaboration, including through field-level technical assistance, South-South and Triangular Cooperation, and institutional capacity building.