KATHMANDU, Jan 19: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who landed in Kampala of Uganda on Thursday evening leading a Nepali delegation to attend the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), has held a meeting with the Nepali diaspora in Uganda.

After meeting the Nepali community, PM Dahal said he was delighted to meet and interact with the Nepalis there, the PM's secretariat said.

On the occasion, the PM said the country cannot progress without addressing the issues of Nepalis living abroad. "I got an opportunity to know the sufferings of Nepalis living in African countries," the PM stated.

During the meeting, Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud urged the Nepali citizens residing in Uganda to work to uplift the nation's dignity adding that Nepalis in Uganda are serving themselves as the non-residential ambassadors of Nepal.

Chairman of Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) Uganda chapter, Rama Aryal, said the Nepali community in Uganda was elated to receive the PM there and experienced the PM's guardianship.     

According to the patron of NRNA Uganda chapter Ramesh Kandel, around 350 Nepalis are working and living in Uganda and contributing to the nation's development, construction and trade communities.  

Present on the occasion were PM Dahal's daughter Ganga Dahal, Foreign Affairs Minister Saud, PM's foreign affairs advisor Dr Rupak Sapkota, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and senior officials of the Nepal government. 

The NAM Summit is being held in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, from today. PM Dahal is scheduled to address the Summit today. The Summit is being held under the theme, 'deepening global cooperation for shared global affluence'.

It is said the 19th NAM Summit is to dwell on the ministerial report, review implementation status of the 18th NAM Summit and pass the Kampala Declaration.

Nepal is a founding member of NAM and has been attending the NAM Summit actively since its establishment in 1961. Non-alignment is one of the fundamental foreign principles of Nepal.