Deputy Prime Minster and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam held a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Al-Thani on the sideline of the UN Congress in Qatar on Monday.During the meeting, both leaders expressed satisfaction over the excellent state of bilateral relations existing between the two countries. They also discussed on matters of mutual interests including increasing the demand for skilled manpower from Nepal, and inviting Qatari investment to Nepal in Hydropower and Infrastructure sectors.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Gautam reached Doha on 11 April leading a Nepalese delegation to participate in the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bamdev Gautam addressed to the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on Monday.Addressing the Congress, the Deputy Prime Minister highlighted its significance in the context of the international community being engaged in the framing of Post-2015 Development Agenda. He also stressed on the need to strengthen efforts against the effects of national and transnational crimes on low-income and Least Developed Countries.The issues of crime prevention and criminal justice system are inseparable and successes and failures in implementing comprehensive crime prevention programmes reflect the nature and effectiveness of criminal justice measures, he said. He emphasized the need for a common approach to identify and address new forms and dimensions of transnational crimes and opined that an enhanced and better understanding at the national, regional and international levels was critical in that regard.
Gautam expressed Nepal’s commitment to the principles of fair, impartial and accountable criminal justice system. He further expressed that the Government of Nepal has worked to a great extent in putting in place the policies, plans, programmes and institutions to effectively prevent crimes and provide criminal justice.
He informed about the various acts including on mutual legal assistance, extradition, eliminating organized crime and money laundering are being implemented with a view to fighting and eliminating transnational organized crimes and initiation of process for necessary legal reforms in those areas.
While expressing Nepal’s total commitment against impunity, Minister said efforts are underway to address gaps concerning all forms of criminal activities thereby addressing the need of criminal justice in a holistic manner. He also said Nepal’s judiciary system is independent and competent enough to uphold and safeguard, among others, the issues of criminal justice. The Minister also informed the Congress about recently established Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Commission on Investigation of Disappeared Persons to look into the conflict era cases. Minister also said that with respect to its international commitments, Nepal has accorded high priority to the protection and promotion of access to justice and life with human dignity for all.
