KATHMANDU: Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad bin Sultan Al Muraikhi visited Nepal’s Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana in Muscat, Oman, on Sunday, during the 8th Indian Ocean Summit. The two ministers held a meeting on the sidelines of the summit to discuss various bilateral matters between Nepal and Qatar.

They discussed topics such as areas of mutual advantage, strengthening Nepal-Qatar relations, and the possibility of expanding scholarships for Nepali students studying in Qatar. Another topic of discussion was Nepal's export of skilled technical labor to Qatar, which is an important area of cooperation for both nations.

Dr. Rana took advantage of the occasion to request that Minister Muraikhi help secure the release of Bipin Joshi, a citizen of Nepal who is presently being held captive by Hamas. Qatar's attempts to arbitrate between Israel and Hamas, especially in advancing peace and ceasefire talks, were praised by Dr. Rana.

The Foreign Minister of Nepal has previously made a similar request in a phone conversation with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, who plays a key role as the chief negotiator in the peace process between Israel and Hamas.

The Nepali government has been diplomatically pursuing Bipin Joshi's repatriation from last year to now. It was during a Hamas attack in October 2023 on Israeli territory that he was abducted. Dr. Rana has raised this issue in international forums, ranging from the UN, and has also demanded action to bring Bipin home.

With the ongoing diplomatic forays undertaken by the Nepal government, Dr. Rana had expressed optimism that more steps would be taken to ensure Bipin's safe return, emphasizing that Qatar's role was vital for securing his release.

In these difficult times, Nepal is, while this diplomatic exchange continues, trying to use its alliances abroad, especially with Qatar, as a way of reducing the suffering of its people.