Manama: Nepal is set to open residential embassies in Bahrain and Oman and a consulate in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
The decision to have the diplomatic missions was taken “in view of the increasing flow of migrant Nepali workers” to the three Gulf countries, a Nepalese daily said, quoting officials at the ministry of foreign affairs.
The officials said undersecretary-level officers would temporarily head the proposed missions in Oman and Bahrain.
“The cabinet has given its nod to establish the missions. We are yet to work out the details of the cost for setting up the missions,” the officials said on Thursday, quoted by Republica.
The Nepalese embassies in Qatar and Saudi Arabia are currently accredited to Bahrain and Oman respectively, the daily said.
The decision to establish embassies in Bahrain and Oman comes in line with the country’s policy to set up residential missions where there are more than 5,000 Nepalese workers.
Nepalese nationals have been recruited to work in Bahrain and Oman since 1994.
According to figures provided by the Department of Foreign Employment, 33,076 Nepalese are officially employed in Bahrain and 17,083 in Oman, the daily said.
However, the figures are believed to be 40,000 and 25,000 respectively.
“A large number of Nepalese workers have reached Oman and Bahrain through clandestine ways. The Department of Immigration does not have data of those visiting the countries illegally,” an official was quoted as saying.
With the decision to open the new diplomatic missions, Nepal now has 31 embassies and four consul general offices.
