January 15, 2025, Wednesday
२०८१ माघ ३
खबरमाला संवाददाता After establishing diplomatic relations with a small island nation called Kiribati, the number of countries with which Nepal has diplomatic ties has reached 183. However, diplomatic experts have expressed concern that despite the increasing number of such relationships, the quality and strength of Nepal’s diplomatic relations have been deteriorating. The primary reasons cited for this decline are unstable politics, vague diplomatic policies, and extreme politicization. Consequently, Nepal’s significance and presence on global platforms have gradually weakened. Another major issue highlighted is the financial manipulation involved in the appointments of diplomats.
Recently, during the foreign minister Dr. Arzu Rana’s visit to several countries, including Canada, the U.S., and various European nations, numerous complaints have surfaced regarding honorary consuls and embassy staff. Sources claim that several verbal and about a dozen written complaints have been lodged against Nepali-origin honorary consuls working in the U.S. Allegations include misuse of their official position for personal business, using their roles for self-interest instead of helping the Nepali community, and mistreating people seeking assistance. Some consuls reportedly charge individuals for facilitating travel and have even brought in up to three people a year as “assistants” under the guise of official support staff. It has also been reported that complaints related to this issue have been filed with the U.S. embassy. In some cases, the embassy has expressed its dissatisfaction to the concerned authorities, according to an undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In countries like the U.S., Europe, and Australia, honorary consuls are allowed to bring one assistant from Nepal, but there have been reports that they misuse this provision to bring relatives or others for financial gain. As a result, there have been calls for more responsible appointments of honorary consuls and stricter criteria for selection. There is also an emerging trend of individuals paying large sums of money to be appointed as honorary consuls, leading to a pile of appointment files at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Political party workers, business figures, and high-ranking members of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) are said to be lobbying for these positions by directly approaching ministry officials and even ministers. A ministry source revealed that, unlike Nepal’s consuls, there have been no complaints about foreign honorary consuls in Nepal. However, when it comes to Nepali consuls abroad, complaints are frequent.
Discontent with the handling of complaints led some to file grievances with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The CIAA has reportedly warned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate complaints related to certain departments and individuals. Complaints of political pressure on foreign embassies for visa approvals and allegations of economic exploitation by high-ranking officials and ministers have also been raised. It is further alleged that ambassadors appointed through political deals listen only to the directives of political leaders and party workers, ignoring the concerns of Nepalis living abroad. Such practices are said to be rampant among politically appointed ambassadors, many of whom have been accused of exploiting their positions for personal financial gain. For example, some ambassadors are reported to have invited relatives to international seminars and workshops under the pretense of official representation, using it as a means of embezzlement.
These incidents have occasionally led to diplomatic rifts with host countries, and foreign embassies have voiced their dissatisfaction with Nepal’s diplomatic missions. Top officials, including ministers, have been accused of appointing multiple advisers and issuing government cards for their benefit. Concerns over such misuse of power have been raised repeatedly during Cabinet meetings. The CIAA has become increasingly active, warning ministers against appointing unnecessary personal assistants (PAs) and preventing them from misusing their positions.
A former ambassador stated that if the arbitrary appointment of honorary consuls continues, it could result in a major diplomatic disaster. He stressed that such appointments should be made based on qualifications and expertise rather than access and financial transactions. He argued that the current practice of appointing honorary consuls without clear criteria or justification is unnecessary. According to him, the government should make its appointments more responsible and hold appointees accountable, ensuring that action is taken when necessary. Failure to do so could escalate the problem.
The trend of appointing multiple advisers and assistants is not limited to the federal government; it extends to provincial ministers and members of parliament, many of whom have appointed up to 7-8 “advisers” each. Most of these “advisers” are family members or close associates rather than actual experts. This misuse of power is seen as a clear example of abuse for personal benefit. If such practices are not curtailed, the state will bear an unnecessary financial burden, and diplomatic relations are likely to suffer as a result.
