Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day state visit to Nepal at the friendly invitation of President Ram Chandra Paudel on Tuesday.
Al Thani landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu at around 4 PM Tuesday. President welcomed him in the VVIP lounge of TIA upon his arrival.
Vice-president Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth, Cabinet members, high-ranking officials, chiefs and representatives of diplomatic missions were also at the airport to welcome Al Thani.
A unit of Nepal Army offered a guard of honor including a 21-gun salute to Al Thani on the occasion.
Al Thani is scheduled to call on President Paudel at the Sheetal Niwas on Tuesday evening. President Paudel will also host a state dinner in his honor in the evening.
Al Thani embarked on official visits to Asian countries on Sunday. He visited the Philippines and Bangladesh before arriving in Nepal.
Qatar’s Ambassador to Nepal Mishal bin Mohammed Al Ansari said that the visit will help strengthen relations between Qatar and Nepal and expand areas of mutual cooperation.
This is the first visit by a Qatari Emir to Nepal.
