Nepal and France have discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation in air services, climate change, scientific research and multilateral affairs, during a meeting between Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and newly appointed French Ambassador Françoise Puig-Inza on Wednesday.
The courtesy call took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu. Khanal congratulated the ambassador on her appointment and wished her a successful tenure. The ministry said the two sides discussed bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.
Four areas of discussion
Air services were among the topics. Air connectivity matters for Nepal’s tourism, business travel and cargo links, but no new flight route, airline agreement or aviation investment was identified.
Climate change was another focus. Nepal’s Himalayan geography leaves it vulnerable to floods, landslides and changing mountain conditions, and Khanal raised the concerns of climate-vulnerable nations at the United Nations in September.
The two sides also discussed scientific research, an area with a long record. A 1978 agreement between France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission and Nepal’s Department of Mines and Geology supported seismic monitoring through sensor networks in Nepal.
Multilateral cooperation was the fourth area. It refers to countries working together through international institutions and forums. No specific initiative was named. The ambassador has publicly referred to shared commitments to multilateralism, human rights and the rule of law.
Established relations
Nepal and France established diplomatic relations on April 20, 1949, and opened embassies in each other’s capitals in June 1967. Nepal’s then Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli visited France from June 12 to 14, 2019. The fourth meeting of the Nepal-France Bilateral Consultation Mechanism was held in Paris on March 29, 2024, covering trade, tourism, investment and global issues including climate change.
The new ambassador
France appointed Puig-Inza by presidential decree dated August 7, 2026. President Ramchandra Paudel received her letters of credence at Sheetal Niwas on September 30, formally accrediting her. From 2024 to 2026 she was Deputy Director for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs at the French Foreign Ministry in Paris. Her earlier postings include Oman, Myanmar, Colombia, Laos and Lebanon.
On October 13, she met Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai to discuss trade and investment, tourism, people-to-people contacts, climate change and sustainable development.
