Joint Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Hira Bahadur Thapa, has been designated as officiating Secretary at the same ministry, reports said.

The post remained vacant since January 14 after acting secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Nabin Bahadur Shrestha, retired from the job.

Thapa was designated to the post out of among three candidates recommended by the Ministry.

The acting or officiating Secretaries are giving civilian leadership to the MoFA after Madhu Raman Acharya was appointed permanent representative of Nepal to the United Nations.