Dr. Jimmy Askar, Nepal’s honorary consul based in Nairobi, Kenya, paid a courtesy call on House of Representatives Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal at Singha Durbar, where he raised settlement and consular service concerns affecting Nepalis living in Kenya and other African countries. Askar urged the Nepal government to take diplomatic initiatives to address the legal and administrative problems faced by the Nepali diaspora in the region.
Concerns facing Nepalis in Africa
During the meeting, Askar drew attention to issues affecting Nepalis who have settled in Kenya and other parts of Africa. The concerns included difficulties relating to settlement and access to consular services, as well as legal and administrative problems. He asked Nepal’s government to take diplomatic steps to help resolve those challenges.
The discussion brought the situation of Nepalis living across the region to the attention of the Speaker. The concerns were not limited to Kenya: Askar also raised issues affecting Nepalis in other African countries. The available account did not specify individual cases, the number of people affected or particular legal and administrative procedures causing difficulties.
Call for diplomatic initiatives
Askar urged the government to pursue diplomatic initiatives to address the problems. His appeal focused on resolving legal and administrative obstacles and improving responses to settlement and consular service concerns. The meeting account did not detail specific initiatives, timelines or measures proposed by either side.
The issues raised point to a range of needs for Nepalis living abroad, including assistance with consular matters and support in navigating legal and administrative challenges. Askar’s request was for the Nepal government to engage diplomatically on these concerns, rather than treating them as matters affecting only individual Nepalis in the region.
Meeting at Singha Durbar
The courtesy call took place at Singha Durbar, where Askar met Speaker Aryal. The Speaker’s office had not, in the account provided, announced any specific decision or follow-up action arising from the meeting. Nor were details given about the length of the discussion or other participants.
As Nepal’s honorary consul based in Nairobi, Askar raised concerns affecting Nepalis in Kenya and beyond with a senior representative of the House of Representatives. His appeal was for diplomatic attention to the settlement, consular, legal and administrative challenges faced by Nepalis in African countries, with the goal of addressing problems affecting the diaspora.
