Former DPM/Foreign Minister and Parliamentarian Hon. Sujata Koirala attends first ICAPP (International Conference of Asian Political Parties) – US Congress Group Meeting in Washington DC, USA from 13-14 December 2019.This group meeting has been defined as first historic meeting between Asian and US leaders which is considered as a breakthrough in development of relationship between Asian nations and United States. Several leaders of Asian political parties attended the meeting with US Congress members and think tank members to discuss the future comprehensive strategic cooperation between Asia and USA in the area of International Trade & Energy for Sustainable Development. The meeting was attended by members of the parliament, former ministers and leaders from several political parties of Asia, General Secretary of ICAPP Ambassador Park Ro-byug and US Congressmen, experts from The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, a Washington DC based think tank. The US Congress was represented by Mark Takano (D- California’s 41st District), French Hill (R-Arkansas’s 2nd District), Ed Case (D-Hawaii’s 1st District), Thomas Petri (R- Wisconsin’s 6th District), David Price (D-North Carolina’s 4th District), Paul Tonko (D – New York’s 20th District), Brian Mast (R- Florida 18th District)and Frank Jannuzi, President of The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation at Capitol Hill.
Hon. Sujata Koirala while making her remarks during the meeting expresses her happiness to be present on this historic first meeting and very grateful to US Congress members who have put lots of effort and valuable time to organize this event.
She further added “Nepal has established its diplomatic relations with US in 1960. The bilateral close cooperation and understanding has always helped in Nepal to promote democracy, human rights and economic development. United States has been very generous in bringing grants and investment in Nepal, especially in renewable energy, infrastructure, health, education, agriculture and in forestry sectors”.
Hon. Koirala concluded by expressing her thanks “I would like to thank people of USA, congress members and government of USA for providing Nepal such assistance. On behalf of Nepali Congress party and myself, I highly appreciate the US Government for providing Nepal USD 500 million under the MCC program. She also recalled her visit to US to seek support of US Government, Congressmen and people to support the political parties in Nepal to restore the Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law during the autocratic rule of then King Gyanendra Shah during the people’s movement 2005-2006”.
Only two political parties from Nepal were invited to attend the meeting. Dr Rajan Bhattarai, foreign advisor of Prime Minister KP Oli was represented Nepal Communist Party of Nepal.