The government has decided to recall six ambassadors who were appointed under political quotas during the tenure of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
The ambassadors posted to India, Australia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Denmark, and South Africa have been asked to return within a month. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that official communication has already been sent to those concerned.
The recalled envoys include Shankar Prasad Sharma (India), Chitra Lekha Yadav (Australia), Purna Bahadur Nepali (Sri Lanka), Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe (South Korea), Sumnima Tuladhar (Denmark), and Kapil Shrestha (South Africa).
The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting held on Sunday. It follows earlier moves by the current government to review politically appointed ambassadors across Nepal’s foreign missions.
During Oli’s tenure, 17 out of Nepal’s 34 diplomatic missions were filled through political appointments rather than through the career foreign service. In a previous phase, the government led by Chief Justice Sushila Karki had already recalled several ambassadors appointed under similar arrangements, though some had remained in their posts until now.
The latest decision completes that process, bringing back the remaining ambassadors who had not been recalled earlier.
The move is seen as part of an effort to restructure Nepal’s diplomatic representation and potentially make way for new appointments. It also reflects ongoing debates over political versus career-based postings in the country’s foreign service.
With these recalls, the government is expected to initiate the process of appointing new envoys to key international missions in the coming weeks.
