Strengthen Nepal's Diplomatic Missions

Yuba Nath Lamsal:--- A sovereign state clearly articulates its principles for dealing with external forces and countries, with the objective of defending and promoting national interests abroad. These sets of principles are defined as foreign policy. All countries, big or small and weak or powerful, clearly define and frame their foreign policy goals, principles, strategies and actions commensurate with their national interests. Foreign policy principles, priorities and tools may vary depending on national strength, geographical position, geopolitical situation, and the behaviour of neighbours as well as major powers. The concept of foreign policy evolved with the evolution of human civilisation. Right from the time when human beings started living in groups, they needed to adopt their behaviour towards other groups for survival and dominance. This brought about both cooperation and conflict with one another. With the development of nation state, the behaviour of the country was given a formal shape with a set of attitudes towards other states, which was defined as foreign policy. Fundamental components The Montevideo Convention of 1933, which specifies the rights and responsibilities concerning relations among countries. It has stated four fundamental components of a sovereign state, which include a clearly defined territory, a permanent population, an administrative authority or government and international recognition. Any country that has the other three components but is devoid of international recognition cannot enjoy the status of a sovereign country. Such a country is called a de facto state. If a country that has international recognition but does not possess other components can still be defined as a sovereign state. There are some countries in the world that have government, territory and population but are not recognised as a sovereign state simply in the absence of international recognition. This is why foreign policy, international relations and diplomacy are required not only for protecting and promoting its national interest but also for acquiring wider international recognition as a sovereign state in the comity of the nations. Nepal is one of the oldest sovereign countries in Asia and also in the world. There were only six independent countries in Asia in the first half of the 1920s, of which Nepal was one. Those six independent countries were Nepal, China, Japan, Afghanistan, Siam (Thailand), and Persia (Iran). According to Sardar Bhim Bahadur Pandey in his book ‘Tyas Bhakhatko Nepal (Nepal At That Time), Nepal had a glorious image as the country of the braves that some states in the south (presently India) used to look to Nepal for support in their war against the British or others until the second decade of the 19th century. The history of Nepal’s foreign policy and diplomacy goes back to ancient times. But modern Nepal’s foreign policy and diplomacy formally began with the unification of Nepal by Prithivi Narayan Shah. Prithivi Narayan Shah, before venturing out for unification, visited Benarus of India to arrange for the necessary weaponry needed for possible wars and also assess the activities of the East India Company in India. Prithivi Narayan Shah assigned Pandit Gajraj Mishra in Benarus to minutely watch political and commercial activities of the British in India and report back to Kathmandu. In a way, this can be called as the beginning of assigning Nepal’s representative in another country. Gajraj Mishra, thus, can be called as Nepal’s first honorary envoy to a foreign land. However, the first formal envoy of Nepal is Bahadur Sumsher Rana, who was assigned as Nepal’s minister (envoy) to Britain in 1934 after establishing the Nepali legation in London. Later in 1947, the Nepali legation was elevated to the level of the embassy and accordingly, the status of envoy was raised to the ambassador level and accordingly, Keshar Sumsher Rana was appointed as Nepal’s first ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Britain in 1948. Nepal’s first mission abroad is the ‘Wakil’s Adda’ in Lhasa, established in 1856 to look into the interests of Nepali businessmen in Tibet. ‘The Wakil Adda’ was later converted into a consulate office, which exists even now. After unification, Prithivi Narayan Shah felt the need for a separate mechanism to handle external relations and accordingly established the ‘Jaisi Kotha’ in 1769. Jaisi Kotha used to be directly under the monarch and its functions were documentation and carrying out all diplomatic communications and negotiations primarily with Tibet and China. After the Sugauli Treaty with British India in 1816, it necessitated restructuring and recalibrating external relations. Jaisi Kotha was, then, rebranded as Munshi Khana with additional responsibility of handling affairs with British India at the time of Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) Bhimsen Thapa, who was the de facto ruler in the name of young king Grivan Yuddha Bikram Shah. Jaisi Kotha However, Jaisi Kotha still continued to remain as a section within Munshi Khana. According to Madhu Raman Acharya, Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana further reorganised the Munshi Khana, creating three different divisions—India Division, Jaisi Kotha and Munsi Captain’s Office. Acharya further states in the book ‘Nepal Worldview,’ “under Chandra Sumsher Rana, India Division was changed into British-India Division and Munshi Khana was referred to as Foreign Department in English correspondence’. Munshi Khana was directly under the prime minister and director general used to help the Prime Minister in handling foreign affairs. The first director general of Munshi Khana was Keishar Sumsher Rana and those who worked in Munshi Khana used to be called Munshis. The Prime Minister himself used to sign in very important documents and letters concerning foreign affairs, while the Director General and Munshis would sign in the ordinary and general documents and correspondences. Only in 1951, after the restoration of democracy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was created and foreign policy and diplomatic conducts too entered a new era. The journey of Nepal’s foreign policy and diplomacy is definitely long and arduous. Now Nepal has a Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital, 31 embassies in different countries, three permanent missions for the United Nations and ten consulate general’s offices which represent and conduct our diplomacy across the world. In addition, Nepal has to play an active and meaningful role in various UN and other multilateral forums on multiple issues. Greater attention and focus need to be given to reform foreign ministry and strengthening its capability and equip the missions abroad financially and with better trained human resources, which alone can enhance our diplomatic engagements for the larger interest of the country. (The author is a former chief editor of this daily and a former ambassador. lamsalyubanath@gmail.com) https://risingnepaldaily.com/news/80172