Power coalition sharing 16 ambassadors

Earlier, the Maoist-UML-RASWP coalition government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal had recalled 11 countries and recommended ambassadors to 8 countries including India. However, within a few days of the recommendation, the power alliance changed and became the government of parties including UML-Congress led by KP Sharma Oli. According to

sources, the government will now recall 3 ambassadors on Maoist recommendation and 2 ambassadors from S. Bishnupukar Shrestha in China, Vasudev Mishra in Sri Lanka and Dan Bahadur Tamang in South Africa are ambassadors from Maoist's quota, Milan Tuladhar in Russia and Kailash Pokharel in Australia from S.

A government minister said that homework has been done for appointing ambassadors, but a decision on recall and new appointments is yet to be made. Within the ruling coalition, there is particular interest in who will be sent to India, China and the US. A leader of UML informed that some people who were previously recommended by UML will be recommended again in the recommendations made by the new alliance.

The Dahal government took a decision on May 24 to recall the ambassadors of 11 countries, including India and the US, without completing their terms. Then on June 7, it recommended new ambassadors for 8 different countries. However, the Oli government is about to change the ambassador recommended by the Dahal government. Congress and UML have discussed sending ambassadors to India, China and America as they wish. Because those countries are considered important for Nepal economically and geopolitically. India and China are neighboring countries while America is a powerful country.

Ambassadors of all 11 countries are continuing to return after being recalled by the Dahal government. The government extended the term of Nepali Ambassador to India Shankar Sharma for 15 days last week. He is also returning to Nepal next week. Sources say that even though Congress President Deuba wants to continue Ambassador Sharma, Prime Minister and UML President Oli did not agree. "It is not right to appoint him (Sharma) as ambassador again due to the fact that the UML has decided to recall him," a source close to Deuba said, quoting Oli. Sharma was also asked to become an ambassador to countries other than India and China. However, sources say that Sharma has sent a message from New Delhi that he will not become an ambassador to other countries except India.

The then Dahal government recommended 5 ambassadors from UML, 2 from Jaspa and 1 from Maoist. It recommended former Chief Secretary Lokdarshan Regmi for India, former Secretary Chandra Ghimire for America, human rights activist Sushil Pyakurel for South Korea, Sumnima Tuladhar for Denmark, Netra Prasad Timilsina for Malaysia, Bijan Pant for Britain, Abu Sufyan Khan Muslim for Saudi Arabia and Pushparaj Rajakarnikar for Spain.  ;

Sources say that Prime Minister Oli wants to continue some of those recommended by UML. Pakurel, who was recommended as ambassador by UML, has rejected the post.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not sent correspondence to the Parliament Secretariat regarding the 8 ambassadors recommended by the Dahal government. Due to the change in power, it is certain that those recommended for ambassadorship will be returned without a parliamentary hearing. Some of those recommended by the UML for ambassadorships will be reappointed. This is not the first time that ambassadorial nominees are being withdrawn without a parliamentary hearing. In the first week of July 2078, the 9 ambassadors appointed by the previous Oli government were returned by the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government of the Congress-Maoist alliance without a parliamentary hearing.

After the completion of the parliamentary hearing, it is sent to the concerned country for agrimo (acceptance) and appointed after the agrimo arrives. Sanil Nepal, who was appointed ambassador to Portugal, was recalled on May 24 by the Dahal government before he could go to work. He was appointed ambassador by the Dahal government on January 26, but was recalled by the Dahal government after the change of alliance on February 21. Now again the interest is whether the Congress will recommend him as ambassador or not.

Nepal has so far embassies for 30 countries and 3 permanent missions for the United Nations. There are 7 such consulates. According to the guidelines for appointing ambassadors, 50 percent of the diplomatic service and 50 percent of the political side are the criteria for the appointment of ambassadors by the government.