Kathmandu, Dec 27: Newly appointed Foreign Minister Balananda Sharma took the oath of office on Friday at the President’s Office in Sheetal Niwas. President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy in the presence of senior state officials.
Prime Minister Sushila Karki appointed Sharma earlier in the day. The move marks the fifth expansion of Karki’s Cabinet since she assumed charge of the interim government tasked with conducting the House of Representatives elections on March 5. With Sharma’s induction, the Cabinet has reached 15 members.
Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Karki, Speaker of the House Devraj Ghimire and Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut were present. Senior government officials, chiefs of security agencies, heads of constitutional bodies and ambassadors also attended the event.
Sharma brings a long military and administrative background to the foreign ministry. A former lieutenant general of the Nepali Army, he played a central role in the integration of former Maoist combatants into the national army after the peace process began in 2006. At that time, he served as coordinator of the technical committee formed to manage army integration, a process seen as sensitive and complex in the post-conflict transition.
He served nearly 39 years in the Nepali Army, holding command and leadership responsibilities at multiple levels. His career also includes close to four years in international peacekeeping missions, giving him exposure to global security and multilateral cooperation.
Beyond the military, Sharma took on a civilian leadership role during the COVID-19 pandemic. He headed the Covid-19 Crisis Management Committee, which coordinated the state response during the public health emergency.
Sharma now steps into the foreign affairs portfolio at a time when Nepal is preparing for national elections and managing diplomatic engagements under an interim setup.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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