Top US Diplomat to Visit Nepal Amidst Growing Bilateral Engagements

Kathmandu is set to host Sarah B. Rogers, the US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, for a three-day visit beginning May 30. This marks the highest-ranking US diplomat's arrival in Nepal since the formation of the Balendra Shah government on March 27, continuing a trend of high-level US official visits.

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She will be the highest-ranking US diplomat to visit Kathmandu since the Shah administration took office.

Rogers' visit follows those of Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Samir Paul Kapur, who visited in April, and President Donald Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor. Kapur engaged in discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and improving Nepal’s investment climate with key Nepali officials. Gor's visit, a week later, also centered on enhancing the business climate, attracting foreign investment, and expanding economic ties.

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In the US State Department hierarchy, the rank of under secretary of state is above the assistant secretary and below deputy secretary.

While neither Kapur nor Gor met with Prime Minister Shah, Rogers is expected to follow diplomatic conventions. She is anticipated to pay a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and meet other officials. Rogers oversees global public diplomacy and public affairs for US missions, making her visit significant for cultural and informational exchange between the two countries.

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Earlier, Samir Paul Kapur, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, arrived in Kathmandu on April 20 and held talks with Rastriya Swatantra Party chair Rabi Lamichhane, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle during his three-day visit.

Her arrival coincides with a notable achievement by the US Embassy in Kathmandu: Public Affairs Chief Mike Harker successfully summited Mt. Everest on May 20, becoming the first serving American Foreign Service Officer to scale the world's highest peak. The US Embassy highlighted this feat as a proud moment for the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence, symbolizing the "American spirit of drive, grit, and exploration."

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A week after Kapur concluded his Nepal visit, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor, also visited Kathmandu and held talks with Foreign Minister Khanal and Finance Minister Wagle.