Portugal’s Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Ana Isabel Xavier, currently on a three-day visit to Nepal at the invitation of Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 30 April 2026.

During the meeting, Minister Khanal welcomed the Portuguese government’s decision to open a diplomatic mission in Kathmandu and assured Nepal’s full support for its establishment. Recalling his earlier telephone conversation with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, he also appreciated Portugal’s positive efforts in addressing consular cases involving Nepali nationals in Portugal.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Rai held bilateral talks with Deputy Foreign Minister Xavier, where both sides reviewed Nepal–Portugal relations and expressed satisfaction over the growing momentum in ties following the first Nepal–Portugal Bilateral Consultation Mechanism meeting held in Lisbon in February 2026. The two sides reaffirmed commitment to expanding cooperation in tourism, investment, trade, labour, digitisation and other areas of mutual interest.