Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Portugal has said it will initiate internal discussions on opening an embassy in Nepal.
Nepal established its embassy in Portugal just a year ago, following a rise in the number of Nepalis living in the Southern European nation on the Iberian peninsula. Previously, the Nepali embassy in France was overseeing affairs in Portugal.
The first meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) between Nepal and Portugal was held in Lisbon on Friday to further strengthen diplomatic and economic ties. Although the mechanism was established in 2018, this was its first formal meeting.
According to participants, the Portuguese side responded positively to Nepal’s request to open an embassy in Kathmandu and agreed to hold internal discussions on the matter.
The meeting reached important understandings to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, culture, education, and science and technology. A press release issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Lisbon said the two sides conducted a comprehensive review of political, economic, and consular relations and that Portugal expressed a positive approach toward resolving issues faced by the Nepali community. The two countries also discussed global challenges such as climate change as well as other regional and multilateral issues of shared interest.
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai led the Nepali delegation, while Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Dr. Ana Isabel Xavier led the Portuguese side in the meeting. The Nepali team included Nepal’s Ambassador to Portugal, Prakash Mani Paudel, Joint Secretary and Head of the Europe Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ganesh Prasad Dhakal, Deputy Chief of Mission Shatrudhan Pokharel, Under-Secretary Uttam Ghimire, and other officials.
Ambassador Paudel said the Portuguese side responded positively to Nepal’s special request to address documentation authentication problems faced by the Nepali community in Portugal. He expressed confidence that establishing a Portuguese embassy in Nepal would reduce administrative and diplomatic distance between the two countries.
During the meeting, Foreign Secretary Rai thanked the Portuguese government for its goodwill toward the Nepali community.
In response, Dr Xavier praised the contribution of the Nepali community to Portugal’s economy.
Foreign Secretary Rai also met officials of Portugal’s trade and investment agency and invited them to invest in Nepal’s hydropower, energy transmission, and renewable energy sectors. He encouraged Portuguese investors to coordinate with the Office of the Investment Board Nepal.
Earlier, Rai paid a courtesy call on Francisco Ribeiro Telles, Secretary-General of Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations.
Portugal is considered comparatively easier than other European countries for obtaining residence documents. This has encouraged Nepalis to live and work there. However, the flow slowed after Portugal introduced a new policy on June 3, 2024, suspending documentation processing for newly arriving immigrants.
Most Nepalis in Portugal are engaged in agriculture, fisheries, large farms, hotels, and restaurants.
