Saud cancels Finland visit amid cabinet reshuffle buzz

KATHMANDU: Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud has canceled his visit to Finland.

Saud was scheduled to fly to Helsinki on Sunday evening to participate in the 2nd United Nations LDC Future Forum, which is set to take place on March 5-6. He was slated to address the opening session of the Forum on March 5 in his capacity as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), followed by a ministerial dialogue entitled “Strategies to Accelerate Innovation and Structural Transformation” as a panelist.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs had issued a press statement on Sunday afternoon informing the media about the visit. According to the statement, he was scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the Foreign Minister of Finland Elina Valtonen, among others.

Sources within the foreign ministry informed Himal Press that Saud had earlier met with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Saud’s decision to cancel his visit to Finland at a time when news of a cabinet reshuffle is circulating indicate that a change of leadership at the foreign ministry could be on the cards.