Saudi Arabia and Qatar have appointed their consular and residential ambassador, respectively, for their new missions in Nepal, according to Foreign Ministry sources.

As per their plans to open residential missions in Kathmandu, three major labour destination countries—Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait—have expedited efforts to manage logistics and human resources for their new missions.

Two separate teams from Saudi and Qatar had visited Kathmandu last month to find appropriate locations to set up offices for the missions. 

“Saudi Arabia has corresponded with us through its newly appointed consular, who has been residing in Hotel Soaltee. Once they set up office here, the first Saudi ambassador to Nepal will take charge. Initially they will have 15-men mission,” said the sources. Likewise, Qatar has appointed Ahmed Jassim Mohamed Ali al-Hamar as its first residential ambassador, according to sources. “Soon they will start working from Nepal.”

Director general of the Saudi Foreign Ministry, Ahamed H Alhamoud, had visited Kathmandu last month to fix a location for the embassy’s chancery.

Meanwhile, Kuwait is all set to open its Nepal mission soon. “In this regard, a Kuwaiti delegation is arriving in Kathmandu next week to inspect the chancery site,” sources added.

These oil rich countries have been hosting more than a million Nepali nationals. According to an official estimate, Saudi, Qatar and Kuwait are hosting over 600,000, 350,000 and 60,000 Nepali nationals, respectively.

“The establishment of embassies in Kathmandu would certainly ease visa procedures for the Nepalis and others who want to work and travel to these countries,” said the official. Nepal has already opened its residential missions in all these three countries.

Published on: 4 April 2012 | The Kathmandu Post