Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal returned to Nepal on 13 April 2026 after attending the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius. He had left for Mauritius on 9 April 2026 to represent Nepal at the conference held under the theme “Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance.”
During the conference, Minister Khanal addressed a plenary session on 11 April, where he stressed the need for inclusive and rules-based maritime governance, shared solutions to climate change, sustainable development and stronger regional cooperation. He also presented Nepal’s concerns as a landlocked country, especially the importance of maritime access, connectivity and regional partnerships.
On the sidelines, Minister Khanal held meetings with foreign ministers and counterparts from countries including India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania. The meetings discussed trade, investment, energy cooperation, tourism, connectivity, people-to-people exchanges, regional stability and supply chain security.
