Australian Ambassador to Nepal, Simon Ernst, has reaffirmed Australia's commitment to supporting Nepal's development priorities during a courtesy meeting with Nepal's Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Bikram Timilsina.
The meeting, held on 1st of July, at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Kathmandu, focused on strengthening Nepal–Australia bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in areas including digital transformation, media development, federal governance, and public service modernization.
Minister Dr. Timilsina thanked the Australian Government for its longstanding support to Nepal's development efforts and expressed hope that Australia's assistance would continue in the years ahead. He also requested the continuation and expansion of Australian scholarship opportunities for Nepali students.
Highlighting the Government of Nepal's commitment to modernising public services, the Minister said Nepal is prioritising reforms in the postal sector and is keen to learn from Australia's successful experience. He noted that technical assistance from Australia would be valuable in implementing best practices.
The Minister also outlined Nepal's ongoing efforts to build a "Digital Nepal" by expanding digital infrastructure and integrating technology into public service delivery, expressing optimism for continued Australian support in achieving these goals.
During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to human rights, press freedom, and freedom of expression. Minister Timilsina stressed the importance of promoting responsible, credible, and professional journalism through capacity building and fact-checking initiatives.
Ambassador Ernst said Australia and Nepal have enjoyed a strong development partnership for many years and expressed Australia's interest in identifying new areas of cooperation. He acknowledged that while freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy, the growing challenge of misinformation and disinformation requires collective efforts from governments, media, and communities.
The Ambassador also reaffirmed Australia's support for the effective implementation of Nepal's federal system through continued technical and institutional cooperation.
Both sides noted that the people-to-people relationship between Nepal and Australia has strengthened significantly in recent years, reflecting the growing ties between the two countries.
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