KATHMANDU (20 January 2019) – Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said on Saturday that a high level participation of Nepal in the Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) for the first time has proved that the world was attracted to the changed context of Nepal and the new political and economic path that it has presently chosen.
In an exclusive talk with The Rising Nepal, Foreign Minister Gyawali said that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s participation in the Forum was a testimony that the international community not only recognised but also endorsed the successful conclusion of Nepal’s peace process, adoption of an inclusive and progressive constitution and the government’s pursuit of economic development and prosperity.
Replying to a question, Gyawali said that decades of political instability in the country deprived Nepal’s Prime Ministers from participating in the Summit. “Following the adoption of the constitution and the formation of the two-thirds majority government, Nepal is moving on the path of peace, stability and prosperity. That is why, the changed context of Nepal has impressed the multilateral forum to incorporate the participation of our PM for the first time in the Summit,” he stated.
In some past Summits, leaders of private sector and National Planning Commission had taken part on the behalf of Nepal.
Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli is leaving for Davos of Switzerland tomorrow leading a delegation, including Minister Gyawali, to participate in the 49th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The Foreign Minister further said that the delegation would send a message to the world for viewing Nepal with a different perspective.
“We want to give a new message at the Summit of the Forum that we are now different from before. Please look at us with a different eye. Nepal is not only a source of unskilled migrant labourers, it is a country of young, educated and energetic youths. It is stressing on clean energy and setting the goal of achieving up to 8 per cent annual growth rate in the coming years,” he said.
Differing with the view and perception that the Summit was a platform for the capitalist elites and countries, Gyawali said that the Forum also had a space for developing and underdeveloped countries.
“It is to some extent true that the world structures are dominated by rich countries. However the WEF is a common platform for coordination among all types of countries. Two years back, Chinese President Xi Jinping had participated in the forum. This year, Nepal is participating at the highest level. Nepal will try to make the Forum listen to the voices of the least developed countries like Nepal,” he stated.
He also said that Nepal would utilise the Summit to convince foreign investors to participate in the upcoming investment conference to be held on March 29 and 30.
“It is a happy coincidence that Nepal will host the Second Investment Summit in March 29 and 30. We want to bring in more investors. We are working towards this and making all our mechanisms investment-friendly,” he said.
“We will meet corporate leaders in Davos. We will introduce Nepal at the Forum with a broader perspective. We will try to convince them that Nepal is at the springboard to jump for development and prosperity. Our participation and talks during the summit will help us network with foreign countries for the investment conference,” he added.
Stating that Nepal offered lots of prospects for foreign investors to pour their money in the country, he maintained that the delegates would assure the investors with returns on their investment in hydropower, infrastructure development, modernisation of agriculture, promotion of tourism and human resources.
“Most importantly, we have around 30 million people, in continuously expanding market, with an emerging middle class, linkages with two largest world markets and friendly relations with them. Thus, we will convince them that it will be beneficial for them to invest in Nepal,” he said. He further said that PM Oli’s meeting with G20 leaders will also help convince the foreign investors to come to Nepal.
Source – The Rising Nepal