Ambassadorial nominees get PHSC green light
The Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC) on Friday unanimously approved all 10 ambassadorial nominees and forwarded the names to the government to complete other necessary procedures before their appointment.
Following the House committee’s endorsement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) will now request the respective countries to send agrimos. Once the MoFA receives agrimos from the host countries, the President would appoint them as ambassadors.
The two-day-long hearing process drew to a close on Friday after the PHSC gave the green light to Bharat Raj Poudel (Pakistan), Paras Mani Ghimire (Myanmar) and Pralhad Prasai (Israel), Ravi Mohan Sapkota (Russia) and Ram Mani Pokhrel (Belgium), Maya Kumari Sharma (Qatar) and Kaman Singh Lama (South Korea).
On Thursday, the committee had conducted the hearing of Rudra Nepal (Australia), Mukti Nath Bhatta (Denmark) and Shanker Das Bairagi (Switzerland). This is the first time such a big number of MoFA officials have been chosen as envoys.
Poudel, Ghimire, Prasai, Bairagi, Nepal and Bhatta, all career diplomats, had already served in various Nepali missions aboard. But the political appointees—Pokhrel, Sharma, Lama and Sapkota—don’t have any experience in diplomatic affairs. All the four are UCPN (Maoist) loyalists.
While Sapkota is professor of political science from Chitwan district Pokhrel, a native of Khotang, is economic advisor of the incumbent finance minister and former member of the National Planning Commission.
Another Maoist loyalist and soybean expert, Sharma of Kanchanpur has been affiliated with the Agriculture Development Bank. On the other hand, Lama of Sidhupalchowk district is former Janamorcha Nepal lawmaker and now a Maoist supporter. The Baburam Bhattarai-led government has set a good precedent this time by nominating at least 50 percent career diplomats in the vacant ambassadorial posts. As of now Nepal has 32 diplomatic missions aboard.
A Cabinet meeting on January 17 had decided to appoint envoys in 10 countries out of the 12 vacant positions where six are career diplomats. “Our minister has assured us that he would do a justice to the career diplomats, which he did. Others should follow this suit,” said a cheerful ambassador designated.
Career diplomats
Shankar Bairagi (Switzerland)
Muktinath Bhatta (Denmark)
Rudra Nepal (Australia)
Bharatraj Poudel (Pakistan)
Pralhad Prasai (Israel)
Parasmani Ghimire (Myanmar)
Political appointees
Rammani Pokharel (Belgium)
Rabi Mohan Sapkota (Russia)
Dr Maya Kumari Sharma (Qatar)
Kaman Singh Lama (South Korea)
Posted on: 2012-02-04 09:17
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