Kathmandu, April 30 (IANS) US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday evening, becoming the second senior US official to visit Nepal in the past 10 days.
The visit comes in the backdrop of increased diplomatic activity following the formation of the new government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah on March 27, with a series of high-level engagements involving major global powers.
Earlier, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur visited Nepal from April 20.
Confirming Gor’s arrival, the US Embassy in Kathmandu said in a post on X that he will engage with senior government officials and business leaders during his visit.
According to local media reports, Gor is scheduled to hold meetings with Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, and other senior officials and leaders, similar to the engagements held during Kapur’s visit last week.
It remains unclear whether he will meet Prime Minister Shah, who has reportedly been maintaining strict protocols regarding meetings with foreign envoys. Reports suggest that the US side has been seeking an audience with the Prime Minister.
Gor, who is also the US Ambassador to India, is considered a close associate of former US President Donald Trump. In addition to his ambassadorial role, he has been entrusted with responsibilities as Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, elevating his diplomatic profile.
Like Kapur, Gor is also expected to meet business leaders amid reports that several US technology companies, including Starlink, are exploring opportunities to enter the Nepali market.
The visit comes at a time when Nepal has witnessed parallel diplomatic outreach from multiple countries. During Kapur’s visit, Cao Jing, Deputy Director-General at the Department of Asian Affairs of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also in Nepal and held meetings with senior officials.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is also likely to visit Nepal in mid-May, according to officials at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
India, China, and the United States remain key stakeholders with significant strategic and economic interests in Nepal.
–IANS
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