Sri Lanka welcomes Nepal’s adoption of new Constitution

Sri Lanka has welcomed Nepal’s formal adoption of a new Constitution nearly a decade after ending a long-running civil war.

“The Government and people of Sri Lanka join hands with the international community to welcome the promulgation of the new Constitution of Nepal which is a key step in its journey towards national reconciliation, political stability and development,” Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

“As a sincere friend of Nepal, Sri Lanka will continue its partnership in Nepal’s development and work towards further enhancing the excellent relations which exists between the two countries,” it added.

Nepal’s President Ram Baran Yadav on 20 September approved the secular Constitution, which will divide the country into seven states. It has been opposed by those who want Nepal to be a Hindu nation, as well as by minority groups that fear discrimination, according to reports.