Kikafunda assumes Nepal ambassadorial duties

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Prof. Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda has presented her Letter of Credence to Nepalese president Ramchandra Paudel, paving the way for her assumption of duty as Uganda’s high commissioner to Nepal.

Kikafunda presented her documents to Paudel during an event in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, on March 6, 2025, according to the Uganda foreign affairs ministry.

Kikafunda is also currently Uganda’s High Commissioner to New Delhi, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Singapore and Bhutan.

Prof. Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda has presented her Letter of Credence to Nepalese president Ramchandra Paudel, paving the way for her assumption of duty as Uganda’s high commissioner to Nepal. (Courtesy photo)

Uganda and Nepal established diplomatic relations in 2017.

Flourishing relations

During the ceremony in Kathmandu, Paudel warmly welcomed Prof. Kikafunda to Nepal and stated that her full accreditation to Nepal indicates a significant “turn-key to the flourishing relations between the two sisterly countries.”

He pointed out that Nepal and Uganda share a lot in common, adding that both countries are members of the United Nations (UN) and World Trade Organisation (WTO), and are categorised as landlocked and least developed countries.

In addition, he said Nepal is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) while Uganda is the current Chairperson of the Movement for the period 2024-2027.

At the event, President Paudel further informed Kikafunda that Nepal would be hosting the Everest Dialogue, an international meeting to discuss climate change and environment from 16 to 18 May 2025, in Kathmandu and by courtesy, extended an invitation to President Yoweri Museveni to participate in the deliberations.

Synergies towards addressing bottlenecks

Paudel called for a strengthened cooperation between the two nations in order for them to come up with synergies towards addressing bottlenecks affecting their economic development and championing positions that promote prosperity of the two nations at the multilateral level as well as bilaterally.

Prof. Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda has presented her Letter of Credence to Nepalese president Ramchandra Paudel, paving the way for her assumption of duty as Uganda’s high commissioner to Nepal. (Courtesy photo)

The president hailed the ongoing interactions between the two countries, noting that the Nepal Women’s cricket team was currently in Kampala to participate in the T20 quadrangular series titled Women’s Day Cup – 2025 being hosted by Uganda.

 Prior to this, Uganda had played against Nepal in the semifinals of the edition of the Kho Kho Women World Cup held in New Delhi, India from 13 to 19 January 2025. The president stated that the power of sports in furthering people-to-people relations should not be underestimated in sports diplomacy.

“Kikafunda thanked the President for the warm welcome and pledged to work to the best of her ability in promoting the bilateral relations between Uganda and Nepal. She then conveyed warm greetings and best wishes to the good health of the Rt. Hon. President and prosperity of the people of Nepal from H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda,” the ministry added in a statement released on March 10, 2025.

Commended

It added that Kikafunda thanked Nepal for the support extended by the country towards Uganda when it hosted the 19th summit of heads of state and government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Third South Summits back-to-back in January 2024 in Kampala, during which the sitting Prime Minister of Nepal attended.

Simultaneously, she thanked Nepal for supporting Uganda’s Chairmanship for the Group of 77 plus China for the year 2024 and ongoing NAM Chairmanship ending in 2027.

“Kikafunda concurred with the President on the strengthening of the nearly decade-long relations between the two countries at all levels. She cited Uganda’s desire to forge closer cooperation with Nepal in the fields of trade, tourism, defence and foreign policy co-ordination,” the ministry said, adding that the president concluded by reciprocating best wishes and good health to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and prosperity of the people of Uganda.