A three-member delegation of the European Commission (EC) led by Herve Jouanjean, Deputy Director General (DDG) of the Directorate-General for External Relations of the European Commission arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday to assess the latest political developments here.

According to Hemlata Rai, information officer at the EU delegation in Kathmandu , the delegation will meet Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat and Home Minister Krishna Sitaula on Thursday to discuss the bilateral relations and possible support that EU can provide to Nepal in the changed context.

The delegation did not talk to media persons upon arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport at 12:30 p.m.

The team will also call on the Chinese envoy to Nepal Sun Heping on Thursday.

On Thursday evening, a special meeting is scheduled with envoys of EU member countries in Nepal – Finland , Denmark, France, Germany, United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

The EC delegation will call on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister KP Oli on Friday. Oli returned to Kathmandu from Malaysia on Thursday after attending the NAM summit.

The EC leaders are also scheduled to meet leaders of civil society, some business organizations including Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Industries (FNCCI) and the Confederation of Nepalese Indsutries (CNI), and representatives of other diplomatic missions in Kathmandu on Friday.

This is the first time a high ranking EC official, the DDG, is on a bilateral visit to Nepal. Jouanjean had visited Nepal as part of the European Union Troika in October 2005 during the direct rule of the king.

Other members of the delegation are Francisco da Camara Gomes, head of the EC delegation to India, Nepal and Bhutan and Ms. Rensje Teerink, deputy head of unit and desk officer for Nepal.

EC is one of the largest bilateral donors to Nepal and has strongly supported Nepal’s return to democracy.

The EC works to promote the overall EU interest and administers a large development and humanitarian assistance budget on behalf of the EU.

International development minister of Norway , Erik Solheim, and US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, have already visited Nepal since the restoration of multi-party democracy.