Ambassadors Club Nepal holds reception for new non-resident ambassadors of Austria, Luxembourg

KATHMANDU: Ambassadors Club Nepal held a welcome reception on Thursday at its office in Bishalnagar, Kathmandu, to honour the newly credentialled non-resident ambassadors of Austria and Luxembourg to Nepal and their spouses.

The event was organised by Sarmila Parajuli Dhakal, president of the Ambassadors Club Nepal and former ambassador of Nepal to Spain and Oman, and Bimal Dhakal, co-founder, in collaboration with the International Relations and Global Diplomacy Dialogue (IRGDD) and The Diplomat Nepal magazine. The reception welcomed Robert Zischg, non-resident ambassador of Austria to Nepal; and Christian Biever, non-resident ambassador of Luxembourg to Nepal, and his spouse, Carole Hecker.

Parajuli delivered the keynote address to an audience that included ambassadors, senior officials from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and heads of international organisations. She congratulated Rojina Tamrakar on her appointment as executive director of the Institute of Foreign Affairs Nepal, noting Tamrakar’s prior service as chargé d’affaires at the Embassy of Nepal in Oman and saying Tamrakar “will continue to elevate Nepal’s diplomatic scholarship and institutional strength in her new role.”

Parajuli said the evening was held on behalf of the Ambassadors Club Nepal, IRGDD, The Diplomat Nepal and the Diplomatic Academy Nepal (DAN). “This is a gathering of purpose, of people who believe that diplomacy is not confined to protocol, but is lived through relationships, trust, and shared aspirations,” she said. She added that diplomats are “not only representatives of states, but custodians of dialogue, understanding, and cooperation.”

She highlighted ties with Austria, noting an 'alpine affinity' between the two countries and saying both nations are shaped by mountains, resilience and multilateral engagement. On relations with Luxembourg, she said the partnership 'continues to grow with quiet strength, anchored in sustainability, and mutual respect.' Parajuli also marked the first anniversary of the Ambassadors Club Nepal, IRGDD and The Diplomat Nepal on May 18, 2026, and conferred honorary membership of the Ambassadors Club Nepal on the newly credentialled ambassadors and their spouses, saying the membership is meant “to remain part of a living community of dialogue, friendship, and shared purpose, forever with Nepal.”

Luxembourg’s Ambassador Christian Biever thanked Parajuli and Bimal Dhakal for organising the reception and said he felt honoured to be accredited to Nepal. He said he and his spouse, Hecker, were very honoured to be part of the event, and that they look forward to meeting and engaging with the diplomatic community. “Nepal is an amazing country, and I was really amazed by the event organised for us,” he added.

Austrian Ambassador Robert Zischg expressed gratitude to the hosts and highlighted commonalities among Austria, Luxembourg and Nepal. “All three of these nations are landlocked and do not have access to the sea,” he said, adding that they are also mountainous countries. He said he looked forward to meeting future friends in Nepal and noted his discussion with President Ramchandra Paudel, calling it “an honour and pleasure” to be in Kathmandu and to explore the city and surrounding valleys and peaks.

Parajuli presented a token of appreciation to Abrar Hussain Hashmi, ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal, as a farewell gesture and thanked him for his service and contributions to bilateral relations.

The reception was attended by senior government and diplomatic figures, including Pushkar Sapkota, member secretary (Law and Human Rights Sector), Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers; Chandra Sapkota; Ram Kaji Khadka, joint secretary, Central Asia, West Asia and Africa Division, MoFA; Durapada Sapkota, joint secretary/director general, Department of Consular Services, MoFA; Abdulla Saeed Mubarak Jarwan Alshamsi, ambassador of the UAE; Mishal Mohammed Al Ansari, ambassador of Qatar; Fahd Mohammad Ajmi Mnikhr, ambassador of Saudi Arabia; U Thant Sin, ambassador of Myanmar; Md Shafiqur Rahman, ambassador of Bangladesh; Udo Eugen Volz, ambassador of Germany, and Marianne Beck-Volz; Mohd Firdaus bin Azman, chargé d’affaires of Malaysia, and Monirah Anis Binti Mansor; Yuba Nath Lamsal, former ambassador of Nepal to Denmark; Shree Ram Lamichanne, honorary consul-general of Luxembourg; Rajesh Babu Shrestha, honorary consul of Austria; Bhola Bikram Thapa, honorary consul of Bulgaria; Golam Sarwar, secretary general of SAARC, and Taslina Sarwar; Chandi Raj Dhakal, president, SAARC CCI; Sriram Haridass, UNFPA country representative; Riaz Lodhi, WFP country director, and Afeera Riaz Lodhi; Pranav Kumar Gupta, IMF resident representative; Sudan Gyawali, WHO multi-sector coordinator; Lenneke Braam, country director, SNV; and Jaya Rajya Laxmi Shah, former district governor, Rotary International.

The evening concluded with networking and a cultural performance by Nepali musical band Sursudha.

The Ambassadors Club Nepal serves as a shared platform for resident and non-resident ambassadors, heads of missions and diplomats accredited to Nepal to promote diplomacy and cooperation.