Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Chandra Prasad Dhakal, has said that the private sector collaboration between Nepal and Qatar should not be limited to just the dialogue but should be transformed into concrete investment, joint projects and result-oriented partnership.

During a meeting with Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Qatar on Monday, Dhakal expressed his gratitude for the long-term friendly relations between the two institutions.

“Nepal-Qatar relations are not only based on diplomacy, it is based on people-to-people trust and cooperation. The contribution of Nepali workers in Qatar has built trust and affinity between the economies of the two countries,” Dhakal said.

Highlighting the global potential of Qatar in energy, infrastructure, finance, investment, tourism, services and logistics, Dhakal said Nepal has prioritized private sector partnership in these areas.

Recalling the agreement reached during the visit of the Amir of Qatar to Nepal in October 2023, he said that the FNCCI was fully ready to operate the Nepal-Qatar Joint Chamber of Commerce (JBC) at the earliest. “The name list of representatives from the private sector from the Nepali side has been finalized and now we want to put this mechanism into practice,” he said.

President Dhakal expressed the view that the Joint Business Council would be an effective forum for B2B collaboration, identification of sectoral investment opportunities, resolution of business obstacles and joint investment and forwarding projects.

Nepal has attractive opportunities in hydropower, renewable energy, tourism, agro processing, information technology, production, infrastructure, health and education, he said. Dhakal also stressed that the hydropower sector that extends from production to transmission and energy-based industries is suitable for long-term partnership. Dhakal said that Qatari investors could play significant role in the tourism sector such as hotel, resort, adventure and health tourism, and aviation related services.

On the occasion, Chairman of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Khalifa Bin Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani said that the meeting will further strengthen Nepal-Qatar economic partnership. He also pledged to strengthen cooperation with FNCCI in the days to come, FNCCI President Dhakal said. He also said that he was positive regarding finalizing the Nepal-Qatar Joint Chamber of Commerce (JBC) soon.

President Dhakal also mentioned about the policy and legal reforms undertaken by the Government of Nepal to improve the investment environment in the recent initiatives and advocacy of the FNCCI. The government has been carrying out reforms through policy stability, digital system, public-private partnership and simplification of the process.

Stating that the recent youth movement in Nepal was a sign of positive consciousness to express good governance, transparency and desire for opportunities in the country, he said that addressing these voices in the right way would help in institutional consolidation and create a stable business environment in the long run.

Welcoming the Qatari investment in Nepal, President Dhakal urged Nepali entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in service, tourism, skill development and small and medium enterprises (SME) sectors in Qatar. He was of the view that the exchange of regular business delegations, early activism of the joint forum and joint business council could transform the common interest into concrete projects.

President of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Khalifa Bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani also extended formal invitation to Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry to participate in the AGM.