KATHMANDU:-  Nepal Government has called for the first open application for the appointment of Ambassadors for Diplomatic Missions abroad. As per the call issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, interested persons must apply by June 5. Foreign Ministry has also made public a guideline including the qualifications and scope of work required for the application.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the applications of the applicants will be screened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sent to the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers will recommend the ambassadors according to their qualifications and the recommended person will be appointed by the President after a parliamentary hearing. After appointment, Ambassadors must sign a performance agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and resume their posts in their respective areas of work.

The ministry called for applications on Thursday in accordance with the ‘Directive on appointment of Ambassadors, 2075’ (amendments 2078 and 2079) approved by the Council of Ministers.

According to Section 3(6) of the guidelines, a candidate to become an ambassador must be a Nepali citizen at least 35 years of age, have at least a bachelor’s degree from a university recognized by the Government of Nepal, have not been dismissed in a manner that would make them ineligible for future government service, and have not been convicted by a court of law for a criminal offense involving corruption or moral turpitude.

Similarly, the applicant must not have held a permanent or temporary residence permit (Permanent resident, (PR) or Green Card) from any foreign country, must have experience in Nepal’s foreign policy, international relations or diplomatic field, and must have good knowledge of the English language, must not have any conflict of interest in the proposed country, and must not be currently working in an international or foreign aid-run NGO.

In addition, the ministry has stated that preference will be given to candidates who have previously been appointed to a salaried position in a foreign country, have completed at least 10 years since leaving that position, have a master’s degree in international relations, political science, law, economics or public administration, have played a leadership role at the diplomatic or high government and corporate levels, and know the language of the proposed country.

Interested candidates who meet the eligibility criteria can fill out the prescribed form available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website or at the Ministry and submit it to the Minister’s Secretariat along with their detailed personal details or submit it online.

The ministry will make an initial shortlist from the applications received and recommend it to the Council of Ministers. After the decision of the Council of Ministers, the formal appointment of the Ambassador by the President will be made only after approval by the parliamentary hearing committee and agreement from the concerned country.