In Nepal, industrialists and businessmen, as well as government officials, discussed economic development, tourism promotion, and expanding mutual cooperation.
What you should know
A team of Qatari industrialists and businessmen has arrived in Nepal for economic development, tourism and investment cooperation. The delegation of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industries has arrived in Nepal at the invitation of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
The team has discussed economic development, tourism promotion and expansion of mutual cooperation with industrialists and businessmen in Nepal as well as government officials.
On Monday, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Anil Kumar Sinha and Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Amrit Bahadur Rai held separate meetings at Singha Durbar with Qatari Ambassador to Nepal Mishal bin Mohammad Ali Al Ansari, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Chandra Prasad Dhakal, Board Member of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industries Mohd Ahmed MA Alobaidali, and representatives of Qatar Airways.
The meeting saw detailed discussions on Nepal-Qatar economic development, tourism promotion, expansion of air flights and further strengthening cooperation in the civil aviation sector. The discussions focused on increasing the number of direct flights between Nepal and Qatar, adding new destinations and the possibility of cooperation between Nepal Airlines Corporation and Qatar Airways.
During the meeting, Minister Sinha said that the government is emphasizing on policy reforms and facilitation for the expansion of tourism, investment and trade in Nepal. Stating that the active participation of international airlines is necessary for the full operation of Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport, he said that the role of Qatar Airways will be important.
‘Apart from other sectors, there is a lot of cooperation with Qatar in the tourism sector of Nepal. The Nepalese government has been making policy reforms to create an investment-friendly environment. The Nepalese government is ready to provide necessary facilitation to Qatari investors to create an investment environment in Nepal and increase connectivity,’ he said.
The Qatari private sector is interested in long-term economic cooperation with Nepal, said Mohammad Ahmed MA Alobaidali, board member of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industries. He believes that aviation and tourism cooperation in Nepal will further strengthen trade and people-to-people relations between the two countries.
The discussions held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also discussed policy facilitation for investment, promotion of bilateral investment, prospects of Qatari investment in Nepal, tourism development and future economic cooperation. On the occasion, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Prem Bahadur Rai said that Nepal is becoming an attractive destination for foreign investment and said that there is ample potential for investment in the energy, tourism, infrastructure and information technology sectors. Recalling that the visit of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal in April 2024 was historic, Rai is of the opinion that economic cooperation between Nepal and Qatar has been further strengthened since then. Qatari Ambassador to Nepal Mishal bin Mohammad Ali Al Ansari said that the relations between Nepal and Qatar are friendly and based on cooperation, and Qatar is willing to expand cooperation in the economic and tourism sectors. Stressing the need to strengthen economic diplomacy through the private sector, Dhakal, Chairman of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that there are good opportunities for Qatari investors in Nepal in the industry, tourism, hotels, hydropower and service sectors. ‘If there is extensive cooperation between the government and the private sector, foreign investment can be brought in more effectively,’ he said, ‘There is attractive potential for Qatari investors in the hydropower, tourism and service sectors in Nepal.’
Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industries board member Mohd Ahmed MA Alobaidali said that he has been briefed on the investment environment, legal framework and the role of the private sector in Nepal. He believes that Qatari investors are interested in identifying potential projects and moving forward with cooperation. “Qatari businessmen are interested in making long-term investments in Nepal. G2G and B2B cooperation can be taken forward by maintaining mutual trust and policy clarity,” he said.
A delegation of Qatari and Nepali industrialists also met the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal on Monday. On Tuesday, they are scheduled to meet Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal and Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Bishwanath Poudel.
