Melbourne, Australia, October 8, 2026 — Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and Australian Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong held talks in Melbourne on Thursday, discussing ways to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
According to Minister Khanal’s secretariat, the two sides expressed satisfaction with the long-standing friendly relations between Nepal and Australia and discussed further strengthening bilateral ties.
During the meeting, Wong expressed condolences to families and communities affected by the recent floods in Nepal and said Australia stood with Nepal in disaster response, early recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Wong also announced an additional A$15 million in assistance for flood and disaster-affected communities in Nepal. The new funding will be added to the A$11 million Australia had previously announced for emergency response and will focus on relief and early recovery efforts.
Khanal thanked the Australian government and people for the humanitarian assistance provided during the disaster. He said the support received during the crisis had further strengthened the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
