Efforts underway to further strengthen relations with Diaspora within existing legal framework: Foreign Minister Khanal

लगानी न्यूज

६ जेष्ठ २०८३, बुधबार ०७:३३May 20, 2026

. KATHMANDU: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shishir Khanal has said the Nepali community in Australia has played a significant role in taking Nepal-Australia relations to a new height.

Releasing the report on ‘Nepali Diaspora in Australia’ jointly organized by the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) and the Australian Embassy in Nepal, Minister Khanal said that discussions were underway within the government to make the provision of non-resident Nepali citizenship more effective.TAG_OPEN_div_26 Stating that the Constitution of Nepal does not have the provision of dual citizenship and there are legal complexities in it, he said efforts were being made to further strengthen the relations with the diaspora within the existing legal framework.

Australian Ambassador to Nepal, Simon Earnest, said Nepali Diaspora is not only a source of remittance, it is an important network to connect Nepal to the world.TAG_OPEN_div_24 The Nepali community in Australia is expanding its influence economically, socially and culturally. “The value of the diaspora is not limited only in remittance, it has given Nepal an opportunity to expand global relations,” he said.

According to the report, the number of people of Nepali origin in Australia is estimated to be 213,580 by June 2025.TAG_OPEN_div_22 This number is a significant increase compared to 2021. According to the study, 61.16 percent of the participants went to Australia for higher education.

The study shows that the Nepali community in Australia is active in health, information technology, engineering, hospitality and finance.TAG_OPEN_div_20 According to the survey, 45.27 per cent of the respondents have an annual income between 65,000 and 120,000 Australian dollars.

Executive Chairman of IIDS, Dr Bishwas Gauchan, said that the remittance coming to Nepal is more than 30 per cent of the country’s GDP, underlining the need of effectively utilizing the economic and intellectual contribution of the diaspora.TAG_OPEN_div_18

The report shows that 34.99 percent of the respondents have made formal investments. But most of the investment is focused on Australia, the study said. Policy stability, transparency and investment-friendly environment are essential for the expansion of investment in Nepal.

Presenting the study, Sneha Ghimire, senior program and research assistant at IIDS, said that the role of Nepali diapora is not limited to remittances.TAG_OPEN_div_14 According to him, the contribution of Nepali community is increasing in investment, entrepreneurship, business relations, cultural exchanges and knowledge transfer.