LISABON:- The Nepali Embassy in Portugal was formally inaugurated in Lisbon on Thursday, with Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Ana Isabel Javier, jointly officiating the ceremony.

Although the Embassy has been providing services since its establishment in April last year, Thursday marked its official inauguration. Nepal’s Ambassador to Portugal, Prakash Mani Paudel, said the Embassy is expected to act as a bridge for strengthening bilateral ties between Nepal and Portugal.

Foreign Secretary Rai expressed hope that the Embassy would play a key role in enhancing cooperation, while Dr Javier assured continued support from the Portuguese government. Senior officials from Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of diplomatic missions, Embassy staff, and media were present at the event.

During an interaction with members of the Nepali community, attendees raised concerns regarding Embassy services and documentation procedures. Rai assured that the Government of Nepal is committed to addressing these issues.

The Embassy also marked Nepal’s 76th Democracy Day, in the presence of the Non-Resident Nepali Association and representatives of other Nepali organisations. In addition, the Nepal-Portugal Bilateral Consultative Mechanism Meeting is currently underway in Lisbon, co-chaired by the Foreign Secretary.