KATHMANDU: The Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav and British Ambassador to Nepal Rob Fenn held a courtesy meeting at the Vice President’s Office in Lainchaur on Thursday, discussing bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.

During the meeting, the two exchanged greetings and discussed people-to-people ties, the British Gurkha relationship, climate change, and social and economic development.

Yadav said Nepal-Britain relations, established in 1816, were based on traditional friendship, mutual respect and cooperation. He described the United Kingdom as one of Nepal’s major development partners and expressed appreciation for its continued support for Nepal’s development efforts.

He also described the British Gurkha connection as a distinctive and enduring aspect of the bilateral relationship that has further strengthened ties between the two countries.

Yadav said the presence of thousands of British tourists visiting Nepal each year, alongside Nepalis living in the United Kingdom for education, employment and professional pursuits, had further deepened people-to-people relations. He expressed Nepal’s interest in expanding cooperation with the UK on climate change, socioeconomic development and other shared concerns.

Fenn said the UK was willing to support reconstruction in areas affected by the Bhote Koshi floods, noting that King Charles III had taken a particular interest in the issue.

He also said the UK would support Nepal’s Mountain to Sea climate agenda at the COP31 climate conference scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkiye, next week.

On the occasion, Yadav extended his best wishes to King Charles III and Queen Camilla ahead of the British monarch’s birthday on November 14, wishing them good health and happiness and the British people continued peace, prosperity and progress.