Nepal at a glance
Nepal is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of biodiversity, nature’s panorama-climatic conditions, flora-fauna and much more. Nepal which gave birth to Lord Buddha, the Prince of Peace and harmony, is living in the laps of Mount Everest and is home to eight of the ten highest peaks in the world, majestic beauty, virgin mountains, biodiversity and climatic conditions as diverse, breath-taking and sweeping as found in the Amazon basin of Brazil. It is, again, a repository of exotic birds and a good number and a broad range of butterflies of which we have a museum in Pokhara, south-western Nepal. Nepal is a beautiful country bestowed with umpteen rivers, hills and valleys, plateaus, deep gorges and tropical plains; truly which present, in point of fact, a new kind of visitors travelling to Nepal every year in the garb of nature lovers, friends of Nepal, mountaineers, tourists and trekkers.
Historical linkage
Nepal’s links with Myanmar date back some 150 years. Buddhism is the common factor that has brought our two countries even closer. Bilateral relations between Nepal and Myanmar are based on goodwill, friendship and mutual understanding.
Diplomatic relations
Nepal and Myanmar established diplomatic relations on 19 March, 1960 at Ambassadorial level.
Exchange of visits from Nepal
– Late King Mahendra paid a state visit to Myanmar in April 1970.
– Late King Birendra also paid an unofficial visit in March, 1980.
– The then Prime Minister Mr. Kirti Nidhi Bista visited Myanmar in 1980.
– Foreign Minister, Mr. Chakra Prasad Bastola came to Myanmar in 2001 to attend BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting.
– Honorable Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala visited Myanmar from 10-11 December 2009, in connection with the BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting.
– Mr. Sushil Koirala, the then Prime Minister of Nepal, visited Myanmar in connection with the 3rd BIMSTEC Summit held on 4 March 2014 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. Mr. Koirala, was accompanied by Mr. Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai, the then Foreign Affairs Advisor and Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi, the then Officiating Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Nepal.
– Nepal welcomed the political change in Myanmar following the general elections. The then Prime Minister, had a meeting with the then President of Myanmar, H.E. U Thein Sein on the sidelines of the Asian-African Summit held in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 2015 and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest.
– Former Prime Minister, Hon’ble Mr. Jhala Nath Khanal visited Myanmar on 22-26 January 2016 to participate in the Buddhist Conference organised by Buddhist Peace Academy. He was a key note speaker on Buddhist philosophy in the Conference.
– Parliament Member Hon’ble Mr. Bhishma Adhikari attending an Asia Pacific Family Planning Meeting in Nay Pyi Taw along with another Parliamentarian Ms. Deepshikha Sharma Dhakal visited the Embassy of Nepal in Yangon on their way back to Kathmandu on Saturday February 27, 2016.
– Joint Secretary Ms. Nirmala Adhikari Bhattarai of the Ministry of Home Affairs took part in the 9th Meeting of the BIMSTEC Sub-Group on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism held on 26-27 April 2017 in Yangon, Myanmar.
– A three Member Nepali delegation led by Mr. Anup Kumar Upadhyay, Secretary, Ministry of Energy attended the 4th Meeting of the BIMSTEC Senior Officials on Energy held on 11-12 January 2017 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
– Former Chief Justice Hon. Mr. Kalyan Shrestha visited Myanmar on 28 February-1 March 2017 in connection with 3rd High-level Dialogue on Judicial Ethics and Accountability Mechanism jointly organized by the International Commission of Jurists and Government of Myanmar.
– Former Prime Minister and Honourable Member of Parliament Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal companied by Honourable Member of Parliament Mr. Ek Nath Dhakal visited Myanmar on July 3, 2017 to take part in a programme organized by the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP). Hon’ble Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal had addressed the conference titled “Addressing the Critical Challenges of our Time: The Role of Governments, Civil Society, and Faith-Based Organizations.” Hon’ble Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal had also courtesy calls on State Counsellor and Union Foreign Minister H.E. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Speaker of Pyithu Hluttaw H.E. U Win Myint on July 3, 2017 in Nay Pyi Taw.
– A ten member delegation led by Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Mr. Ram Kumar Acharya visited Myanmar on 7-12 July 2017 and had a fruitful talks with the Officials of the Office of President, Office of the State Counsellor, Office of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and Officials of Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory on 11 July 2017.
– A seven member delegation led by Under Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Santosh Shrestha paid a short visit to Myanmar on 7-10 July 2017 and had a fruitful talks with the Officials of the Ministry of Planning and Finance of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 7 July 2017 in Nay Pyi Taw.
– A nine member delegation led by Under Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mr. Ram Prasad Sapkota paid a goodwill visit to Myanmar on 5-8 July 2017 and had a fruitful talks with the Officials of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Yangon Office and Union of Myanmar Travel Agencies and Union of Myanmar Federation of Tourism on 5-6 July 2017 in Yangon.
– At the Friendly Invitation of NRNA, NCC, Myanmar, Dr. Upendra Mahato, Founder President of Non-Resident Nepali Association paid a short visit to Myanmar on 31 December 2016 -4 January 2017. The Embassy had organized a reception programme in his honour at the Embassy on 3 January 2017. All NRN members here in Myanmar and other Nepali working in Myanmar were invited to the programme.
-.A Differently abled person Mr. Tej Bahadur Karki of Nepal leading 5 persons was arrived in Yangon under the World Wheelchair Peace Foot Journey in August 2016. The Embassy had a chance to introduce him to the Nepali working in Yangon and members of All Myanmar Gorkha Hindu Religious Association and donated US$ 100.00 to them and visas recommendation letter to get necessary visas to Thailand.
Exchange of visits from Myanmar
– General Ne Win, the then Chairman of the Union of Myanmar, visited Nepal twice in 1966 and in 1977.
– Mr. U Sein Wing, the then Prime Minister of Myanmar visited Nepal representing his country in the coronation of King Birendra in 1975.
– Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, H.E. U Kyaw Thu paid an unofficial goodwill visit to Nepal in the beginning of 2008.
– Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. U Nyan Win paid an official visit of Nepal from February 15-18, 2010 as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
– Exchange of visits is continuing at political, diplomatic and senior officials levels ever since.
– H.E. Daw Aung Sang Suu Kyi, Chairperson of the National League for Democracy of Myanmar visited Nepal on 13-16 June 2014 to mark the 100th birth anniversary of the late B.P.Koirala, the first elected Prime Minister of Nepal.
Trade relations
Despite MoU between FNCCI and UMFCCI, trade relations are far from satisfactory. With the sweeping and meaningful reforms in Myanmar, there are great potentials and prospects of B to B development and expansion.
Tourism
The number of tourists from Myanmar to Nepal during the years 2016-2017 is upwards of 25,000. Myanmar has constructed a Pagoda and a Monastery in Lumbini. Nepal presented 16 wooden panels depicting life history of Lord Buddha which has been enshrined in front of famous Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Yangon. There is a noticeable surge of visa seekers from Myanmar to Nepal since October 2012.
Cultural landscape
Majority of the population of Myanmar follows Buddhism (88%). There exists enormous potential for attracting tourists from Myanmar for pilgrimage tourism / religious tourism.
Nepalese community
The number of Burmese of Nepalese origin living in Myanmar engaged in different professions is estimated at over 200 thousands. They bridge the two countries at the people’s level.
