Bilateral relations between Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and Republic of Niger have been limited – also due to geography – with little direct diplomatic engagement, trade, or people-to-people contact. Nevertheless, both countries share important structural characteristics as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and face vulnerabilities associated with climate change, economic dependence, and development financing constraints. Nepal and Niger both rely on multilateral platforms to advance their development priorities, and economic integration.

Nepal and Niger formally established diplomatic relations in 20, September 2017. While their engagement remains modest, thereby giving much wider scope for the future bilateral trade and investment opportunities. This Policy Brief assesses the current state of Nepal-Niger bilateral relations and identifies practical avenues for cooperation, particularly within the framework of the United Nations (UN), the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) for LDCs (2022-2031), climate diplomacy, and South–South cooperation.

This Policy Brief also explores the evolution of Nepal-Niger relations, identifies emerging trade and investment opportunities, and presents actionable recommendations to transform decade-old bilateral relations into potential business partnership, especially in trade collaboration, renewable energy, and public health (pharmaceuticals industry) by figuring out how both the countries can bridge the geographical distance with bilateral trade.

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