Kathmandu: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters completed a historic visit to Nepal, the first by a New Zealand Foreign Minister to the country. His visit coincided with the 72nd anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s summit of Sagarmatha. “The relationship between Nepal and New Zealand, forged by Tenzing Norgay and Ed Hillary in May 1953, is undoubtedly special,” Peters said. “It has been an honour to pay tribute to our countries’ pioneering heroes – and to discuss how best New Zealand and Nepal can best cooperate in the second quarter of the 21st Century.”
While in Nepal, Peters met President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba.
“New Zealand and Nepal have a shared interest in regional and global security,” Peters said. “We discussed current regional and global challenges of mutual interest.
“Nepal is notably the largest troop contributor to UN peacekeeping globally. We discussed New Zealand’s strong commitment to multilateralism and our mutual interest in working with likeminded countries to strengthen the rules-based international system.”
Peters also discussed the importance of improved air connections to facilitate trade and people-to-people connections. “Our goal is to have an Air Services Agreement between New Zealand and Nepal in place in the near future,” he said.
During his visit to Nepal, Peters announced a NZ$1.8 million partnership with the Himalayan Trust to deliver quality education in the Solukhumbu District over five years.
Peters met Alexander Hillary, General Manager of the Himalayan Trust (and Sir Edmund’s grandson), and visited Khumiung School and Khunde Hospital, which Sir Edmund helped establish. “It was a privilege to meet with the resilient and welcoming people of the Everest region and with members of the Himalayan Trust on the anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s historic achievement,” he said.
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