A top Nepalese government official is expected to visit the Kingdom later this year to strengthen trade and other ties.

Ambassador Udaya Raj Pandey told Arab News that Foreign Minister Mahendra Andey is all set to arrive here in about two months.

“Nepal and Saudi Arabia are bound by strong ties but there’s great scope for closer cooperation in various sectors,” Pandey said.

The envoy said the foreign minister is likely to meet with Saudi officials to discuss expanding trade links. Nepal exports handicrafts to the Kingdom, while is importing petrochemicals.

“There’s much to be done in this regard and I hope this will be addressed during the Nepalese foreign minister’s visit,” he said. Officials from the Saudi Fund for Development visited Nepal four months ago, he said.

In April 2012, Nepalese Finance Minister Ari Khewa also visited Saudi Arabia and met with Saudi officials.

Pandey said there are 500,000 Nepalis working in the Kingdom, who are contributing to their home country by sending remittances. There are about 600 Saudis in Nepal, either as tourists or working for recruitment agencies.

Tourism sector, he said, is a major component of the Nepalese economy. Many foreign tourists include Mount Everest climbers.

“Saudi Prince Bandar bin Khalid, in fact, climbed Mount Everest in 2013,” the ambassador said.

Nepal and Saudi Arabia established diplomatic relations on March 15, 1977.