Kathmandu; November 3: It was an annual-family dinner of the Association of Former Career ambassador of Nepal (AFCAN).
The main objective of the AFCAN, as told by its sitting Chairman Ambassador R. P. B. Thakur, is to develop and enhance unity and friendship in between and among the former Ambassadors housed in the AFCAN entity which is equivalent to a “foreign policy” think tank of Nepal which on a regular basis debates and brings into intense discussions on contemporary international topics and forwards the Nepal government of their accumulated foreign policy suggestions.
Talking to chief editor of The Telegraph Nepal news portal, November 5, 2022, Ambassador Thakur said that “It is our traditional family meeting feast where we meet our old friends/colleagues and seniors as well and extend best wishes to each other and try to help the “needy” diplomats of this AFCAN according to our capacity and in a manner that is within our approach for the AFCAN.
As President of the AFCAN, I welcome them and keep them updated and brief our activities and underline the objective-role of the AFCAN in order to maintain our foreign policy in the greater interest of the nation, Ambassador Thakur emphasized.
This time, apart from the regular rituals, the sitting foreign secretary Mr. Bharat Raj Paudyal was kind enough to honor his seniors with Shawl(s) to the respected and the retired foreign secretaries and Ambassadors, for example, Mr Yadav Kant Silwal, and former F.
S Mr. Kedar Bhakta Shrestha and also honored Ambassador Mr. Sunder Nath Bhattarai, who served as the first president of AFCAN.
By the way, Ambassador Bhattarai is currently officiating Chairman of the China Study Center (CSC).
The senior most Ambassador present on the occasion and duly honored definitely was Yadav Kant Silwal (Ambassador Silwal joined the Ministry in 1960 and had served Nepali missions in Rome, Beijing, New York (the UN).
Ambassador Silwal had the distinction of steering the SAARC regional body’s Secretary-General post in the year 1994-95.
Later he was Nepal’s Ambassador to Moscow.
Similarly, Foreign Secretary Kedar Bhakta Shrestha entered into the Foreign ministry in the year 1964 and served the Foreign Ministry as Foreign Secretary in the year !994.
He was posted in various countries as Nepali diplomat, for example, Germany, UN, USA, SAARC, Belgium, Benelux countries and finally to US as Ambassador.
Likewise, Ambassador Sundar Nath Bhattarai (1939) entered the Ministry in 1961 and had posting in Myanmar, France, Japan and China.
He was later appointed as a full-fledged Nepal’s Ambassador to Thailand.
The two distinguished foreign ministry veterans, Mrs. Bindeshwari Shah, and Mr. Bishwa Pradhan who could not attend the AFCAN annual dinner with the advanced age, are being honored by the AFCAN right being inside their respective homes soon, so said Ambassador Thakur.
“These two foreign ministry old hands deserve highest honor from the AFCAN, opined Dr. Thakur.
Mrs. Shah was Nepal’s Ambassador to India and Mr. Pradhan was Nepal’s Ambassador to the USA.
“We are going to award two young Nepalese for their outstanding achievement in the study of diplomacy/international relations or contributions they may have made for the society and the nation in other ways, added Ambassador Thakur.
“With this very small effort, we wish to inspire the new generation for generating interest or commitment in the study of diplomacy and international relations.
It may provide impetus in producing good diplomats”, summed up Ambassador Thakur.
Secretary General Ambassador Prahlad Prasai gave vote of thanks.
The program was well attended by over seventy participants including respected contributors to AFCAN Review Annual Journal.
The annual AFCAN Review, Vol 3 is expected in coming December, informed the Ambassador.
To recall, AFCAN was established in 2007 A.D.
Congratulations AFCAN President and the distinguished former Ambassadors: Upadhyaya. N. P.