KATHMANDU: The Lao People’s Democratic Republic has appointed entrepreneur Raju Shrestha as its Honorary Consul to Nepal.

Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Durga Bahadur Subedi and Deputy Chief of the Mission (DCM) of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in Delhi Keo Sengdavong jointly presented the certificate of Consul to Shrestha amidst a function in Kathmandu on Friday evening.

Chief of Protocol Dr Subedi said that the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, being a country of Buddhist faith, held enormous potential on religious tourism in Nepal, including trade and investment.

With the appointment of Shrestha as the Honorary Consul, the Consulate General of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has been established at Thamel, Kathmandu.

DCM Keo and Chief of Protocol Subedi jointly inaugurated it following the presentation of letter of appointment the same evening.

Recalling the steadily growing bilateral relations ever since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties between Nepal and Lao People’s Democratic Republic in 1960, Honorary Consul Shrestha expressed his commitment to further strengthen bilateral bond of affinity and socio-economic ties between the two countries.

He informed that a renowned ophthalmologist of Nepal, Sanduk Ruit led a eye treatment camp for the Lao people in the past and added that he would continue to expand such noble tasks in the coming days as well.

DCM Keo said that Lao people wanted to cooperate with Nepal in the fields of tourism, trade and investment. He thanked the government of Nepal for allocating an area for the establishment of a monastery in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.

The program was attended by scores of Napal-based Honorary Consuls of various countries.