Vietnam's Ambassador congratulates Dr. Rajesh Kazi Shrestha on being re-appointed as Vietnam’s honourary consul general in Nepal. Source: Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi

The Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi on October 31 handed over an appointment decision to honourary consul in Nepal Rajesh Kazi Shrestha, VNA reported.

This is the third time Shrestha, a businessperson who has been working with Vietnamese businesspersons for many years, has been appointed to this position.

Attending the ceremony were Ambassador to India, Nepal and Bhutan Nguyen Thanh Hai; Deepak Kazi Tuladhar, member of the Executive Board of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Vietnamese diplomats and press reporters.

Ambassador to India, Nepal and Bhutan Nguyen Thanh Hai congratulated Shrestha on the appointment, describing it as an important milestone in the relationship between the two countries and also an achievement that the Vietnamese Embassy authorities as well as Nepalese agencies have made over the years to promote cooperation in the consular affairs.

The diplomat said he believes that with his capacity, experience and deep affection for Vietnam, Shrestha will complete the assigned tasks and contribute to promoting economic, trade, cultural relations and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Born in 1961, Rajesh Kazi Shrestha is a successful businessman in many fields, having led at state agencies and large associations as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Services, president of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, and president of the Nepal-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Vice President of World Association of Small & Medium Enterprises, India; member of the Nepal Investment Board.

Rajesh Kazi Shrestha, Vietnamese honorary consul in Nepal, takes group photo with Vietnamese Ambassador to Nepal Nguyen Thanh Hai and embassy staff. Source: Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi

For his part, Shrestha said this was an important event in both his life and career. He therefore thanked Vietnamese and Nepalese agencies for providing the optimal conditions for him to continue to take on this noble position.

He expressed his strong determination to perform his representative role well, be dedicated to carrying out related activities, including citizen protection and support for the local Vietnamese community, spreading information about the land and people of Vietnam in Nepal, and boosting bilateral ties across multiple fields.

Vietnam and Nepal established diplomatic ties on May 15, 1975.

Shrestha was appointed the Honorary Consul General in 2015. As the honorary consul, he has been working as a facilitator between the people, government, and business community of the two countries.

Amid growing relations, especially in the post-Covid-19 period, the re-appointment of Shrestha as Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Nepal has timely met the need to foster extensive co-operation between the two countries while properly handling consular and economic issues that may arise.

Nepal is also viewed as a promising market for Vietnam. Both countries are members of the WTO and according to the United Nations, COMTRADE database on international trade, Nepal imported goods worth USD 91 million during 2017 from Vietnam.

The main exports from Vietnam to Nepal are mobile phones, electronic equipment, home appliances, coffee, tea, mate and spices, beverages, spirits, and vinegar, machinery, industrial boilers, plastics, essential oils, perfumes, cosmetics, toiletries, animal fodder, edible fruits, nuts, peel of citrus fruit, melons, sugar confectionery, footwear and readymade garments.

However, Nepal's exports to Vietnam stood at just USD 5.2 million with handicraft items and hides and skin being the major exported goods.

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