KATHMANDU: Shishir Khanal, head of the international department of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has been appointed as Foreign Minister in the government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen).
Khanal was elected to the House of Representatives from Kathmandu-6 in the March 5 elections. This marks his second stint as a minister. Earlier, he was appointed Minister for Education, Science and Technology on January 17, 2023, in the government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, but served for only 19 days.
His tenure was cut short after the RSP exited the government following the loss of position by party chair and then Deputy Prime Minister Rabi Lamichhane in a citizenship-related case. Khanal resigned along with other party ministers on February 5, 2023, completing just 19 days in office.
Academically, Khanal holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a bachelor’s degree in International Political Economy from Beloit College.
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