Current Affairs: April 1, 2025

1. Prime Minister Oli Departs for Thailand to Attend BIMSTEC Summit

• Official Visit to Thailand

  • Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is departing for Thailand on Tuesday morning for a four-day official visit (April 1-5).

  • The visit is at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. 

• Historic Diplomatic Significance

  • This is the first official visit by a Nepali Prime Minister to Thailand in 65 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations.

  • Addressing the House of Representatives, PM Oli highlighted that no Nepali head of government has formally visited Thailand in over six decades.

• Participation in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit

  • The 6th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) will take place on April 4 in Bangkok.

  • The theme of the summit: "Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC."

• BIMSTEC’s History & Agenda

  • Founded in June 1997, BIMSTEC has previously held five summits:

    • Bangkok (2004)

    • New Delhi (2008)

    • Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar (2014)

    • Kathmandu (2018)

    • Colombo (2022)

  • The 6th summit will focus on seven key sectors:

    1. Agriculture & Food Security

    2. Connectivity

    3. Environment & Climate Change

    4. People-to-People Contact

    5. Science, Technology & Innovation

    6. Security

    7. Trade, Investment & Development

  • Additionally, discussions will cover eight sub-sectors, including Blue Economy and Disaster Management.

• Strengthening Nepal’s Role in Regional Cooperation

  • The visit is expected to enhance Nepal-Thailand bilateral relations.

  • It will reinforce Nepal’s active participation in BIMSTEC and its regional economic cooperation efforts.

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BIMSTEC Formation and Expansion

• Founded: June 6, 1997, in Bangkok as BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation).

• Renamed: BIMST-EC on December 22, 1997, after Myanmar joined.

• Nepal’s Status: Became an observer in 1998 and a full member in February 2004, along with Bhutan.

•  BIMSTEC Free Trade Area Framework Agreement (BFTAFA) : 

• Trade, Investment and Development - Bangladesh

  Environment and Climate Change - Bhutan

  Security and Energy - India

  Agriculture and Food Security - Myanmar

  People-to-people Contact - Nepal

  Science, Technology and Innovation - Sri Lanka

  Connectivity - Thailand

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2. Five Bills Passed by National Assembly

• Bills Approved by Majority Vote

  • Chairman of the National Assembly, Narayan Prasad Dahal, announced the passage of five bills by a majority vote.

  • The approved bills include:

    1. Bill to Amend Certain Nepal Acts Related to the Promotion of Good Governance and Public Service Delivery, 2081

    2. Bill to Amend Certain Nepal Acts Relating to Cooperatives, 2081

    3. Financial Procedures and Fiscal Responsibility (First Amendment) Bill, 2081

    4. Privatisation (First Amendment) Bill, 2081

    5. Bill to Amend Certain Nepal Acts for Improving the Economic and Business Environment, 2081

• Approval & Forwarding for Ratification

  • Speaker Devraj Ghimire approved the replacement bills and forwarded them to President Ramchandra Paudel for ratification under Article 113(1) of the Constitution.

• Presidential Authentication

  • The Office of the President issued a statement on Monday evening, confirming that President Paudel authenticated the bills as per Article 113(2) of the Constitution, following their approval by both Houses.

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3. Increase in Female Participation in Foreign Employment

• According to the Department of Foreign Employment, the proportion of women in foreign employment has risen from 5% five years ago to 11%.

• This accounts for 10.82% of the total labor approvals issued in the fiscal year 2080/81, when 741,000 individuals received labor permits, including 80,172 women.

• Despite the government’s ban on labor permits for women working as domestic workers, the number of women receiving labor approval in 2080/81 was the highest in the past five years.

• The number of women going abroad for employment has been increasing at an annual rate of 1.20%.

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4. Moldova Expels Three Russian Diplomats

• Decision by Moldovan Government

  • The Moldovan Foreign Ministry declared three Russian diplomats as "persona non grata" and ordered them to leave the country.

  • The decision was based on clear evidence of actions that violated their diplomatic responsibilities.

• Reason for Expulsion

  • The expelled diplomats were allegedly involved in activities related to assisting a fugitive Moldovan MP.

  • Moldova has been increasingly cautious about foreign influence, particularly amid rising tensions with Russia.

• Diplomatic Tensions

  • The move is likely to further strain relations between Moldova and Russia.

  • Russia has previously criticized Moldova’s pro-European stance and its efforts to distance itself from Russian influence.

🔗 Full Report on DW

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Notes on "Persona Non Grata"

• Definition:

  • Persona Non Grata is a Latin term meaning "an unwelcome person."

  • In diplomacy, it refers to a foreign official who is banned from a country due to misconduct or actions against the host country's interests.

• Legal Basis:

  • Governed by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961).

  • Article 9 states that a host country can declare any diplomat persona non grata without giving a reason.

  • Once declared, the individual must leave the country within a specified timeframe or face expulsion.

• Common Reasons for Declaration:

  • Espionage or intelligence activities.

  • Interference in domestic affairs of the host country.

  • Violating diplomatic norms or engaging in illegal activities.

  • Deterioration in diplomatic relations between countries.

• Examples in International Relations:

  • Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Several Western countries have expelled Russian diplomats, citing espionage.

  • U.S.-China Tensions: Diplomatic staff have been expelled over alleged spying activities.

  • Moldova’s recent action (March 2025): Expelled three Russian diplomats for aiding a fugitive MP.

• Impact of "Persona Non Grata" Status:

  • Strains diplomatic relations between the involved countries.

  • Can lead to retaliatory expulsions from the affected country.

  • May signal geopolitical shifts or heightened security concerns.

In summary, persona non grata is a powerful diplomatic tool used to protect national security and assert sovereignty. 🚨