FNCCI urges newly-appointed envoys to promote economic diplomacy

KATHMANDU: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has requested Nepali missions in foreign countries to promote economic diplomacy.

Speaking at an interaction with newly appointed Nepali ambassadors to 17 countries and three honorary consuls, FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal said the apex body of the Nepali private sector was establishing a foreign investment assistance desk to act as a bridge between investors and the government for investment promotion.

“We request you to fully utilize our network to expand economic diplomacy. Please take the initiative in this regard,” Dhakal told the

Dhakal also said that FNCCI’s international network, comprising around 50 private sector representative organizations and chambers worldwide, can be utilized by the Nepali diplomatic missions.
He also said Nepali diplomatic missions and FNCCI can jointly organize various investment promotion programs. “In the last one and a half years, we have organized large conferences in India, China and the UAE,” he said.

The newly appointed ambassadors, who participated in the discussion, expressed the need to work in collaboration with the private sector to minimize the impact of Nepal’s graduation from the LDC status and to gain the trust of the private sector which would help attract foreign investment.
The ambassador-designate for the United Kingdom, Chandra Ghimire, said that the government needs to work towards double taxation avoidance agreement.

The other ambassadors-designate, including Kapil Shrestha for South Africa, Rita Dhital for Pakistan, Naresh Dhakal for Saudi Arabia, Sunil Nepal for Spain, Prakash Maxi Paudel for Portugal, and Netra Prasad Timsina for Malaysia, expressed their willingness to work in collaboration with the private sector, according to the statement.

The ambassador-designate to Germany, Dr Sahayog Rupakheti, suggested that FNCCI should take the initiative to help Nepal obtain the GSP Plus facility in European countries, and also discussed the need for discussion on ratifying ILO Convention 87.