New York, September 14: Nepal and the Federated States of Micronesia have formally established diplomatic relations following the signing of a Joint Communiqué by their permanent representatives to the United Nations. With the establishment of the new ties, Nepal now has diplomatic relations with 185 countries.

Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Lok Bahadur Thapa, and Micronesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jeem S. Lippwe, signed the Joint Communiqué in New York. During the occasion, the two ambassadors exchanged views on issues of common interest and discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation at national and international forums, particularly at the United Nations.

The Federated States of Micronesia is an island nation comprising more than 600 islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It gained independence on November 3, 1986, and became a member of the United Nations on September 17, 1991. The country covers approximately 701 square kilometres and has an estimated population of around 100,000.

Nepal and Micronesia are both members of the Group of 77 and China, providing another platform for cooperation on issues of shared interest among developing countries.