KATHMANDU: On Wednesday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli held a courtesy meeting with New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar.

During the meeting, both sides discussed enhancing bilateral interests, mutual relations, and cooperation. They expressed a shared view that there are significant opportunities for collaboration in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, education, trade, and investment.

Prime Minister Oli highlighted that the current government prioritizes stability, development, good governance, social justice, and social transformation in pursuit of the national aspiration for a prosperous Nepal and happy Nepalis.

Deputy Prime Minister Peters praised Nepal’s efforts toward development and prosperity and emphasized the importance of cooperation on common interests of small countries at international forums.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present during the meeting.

The historic bond between the two nations is further strengthened by the fact that on May 29, 1953, Nepal’s Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand’s Sir Edmund Hillary made the first successful ascent of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.

Deputy PM Peters, who arrived in Kathmandu today on an official visit to Nepal, is scheduled to stay in the capital for two days, on Jestha 14 and 15 (May 28 and 29), according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This marks the first-ever official visit to Nepal by a New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, highlighting growing diplomatic engagement between the two countries.