Kathmandu [Nepal], July 15 – Nepal has stepped up its diplomatic outreach to Qatar following the death of former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani with Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav visiting Doha to convey the country’s condolences and Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal paying tribute at the Qatari embassy in Kathmandu.
Yadav is on a three-day official visit to Qatar as Nepal’s representative to express condolences to the Qatari leadership over the death of Sheikh Hamad who ruled the Gulf nation from 1995 to 2013.
According to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he will hand over a letter of condolence from President Ramchandra Paudel to Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Wednesday.
Senior government officials are accompanying the vice president during the visit. He is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on July 16.
In Kathmandu, Khanal signed the condolence book at the Embassy of the State of Qatar on behalf of the Government and the people of Nepal.
In a statement, the foreign minister expressed Nepal’s “profound condolences” on the passing of Sheikh Hamad and described him as a visionary statesman whose leadership made a lasting contribution to Qatar’s development and to strengthening Nepal-Qatar relations.
She also conveyed Nepal’s sympathies and solidarity to Emir Sheikh Tamim, the royal family, the government and the people of Qatar during the period of mourning.
Sheikh Hamad died on Sunday at the age of 74.
His death has prompted an outpouring of condolences from across the world, with Qatar hosting a series of high-level visitors at Lusail Palace. Among those who have travelled to Doha to pay their respects are Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh representing the United Kingdom.
