Kathmandu. President of Vaidya Organization of Industries and Trading Houses, Suraj Vaidya, has been elected unopposed as the dean of Honorary Consular Corps Nepal (HCCN).

Baidya, who is also the former president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), is the honorary consul of the Philippines.

The general body meeting of HCCN held in Kathmandu unanimously elected Baidya as the new dean. Bhola Thapa, honorary consul of Nepal to Bulgaria, was its dean before this.

Vaidya’s more than 6 decades-old business house Vaidya Organization has been the official distributor of Toyota vehicles for a long time. Along with this, the group is also expanding its investment in the cement and hospitality sectors. The newly-appointed dean Vaidya has said that attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nepal, promoting tourism and strengthening economic diplomacy would be the main priorities of his tenure. In a press statement issued after assuming the responsibility of Dean, Vaidya said that he would actively move forward to expand economic cooperation by making relations between Nepal and the international community more effective.

“The HCCN represents over 64 countries and has been making significant contributions to the global economy, international trade, technology, innovation, tourism and investment,” he said. With a population of over Rs 5 billion and a combined economic size of over 100 trillion US dollars, Nepal’s relations with these countries is an important opportunity for economic development.

He said that the importance of economic diplomacy has increased in the present situation where Nepal is aiming to attract investment, create employment, expand tourism and increase international trade. He further said that the honorary consuls would act as a bridge to expand collaboration not only between the government but also between the private sector, investors, entrepreneurs, educational institutions and the community.

During his tenure, HCCN will work closely with the Government of Nepal, relevant ministries, constitutional bodies and the private sector to deepen its relationships with the countries represented by its members. He said that the aim is to attract quality foreign investment, promote tourism, promote technology and knowledge transfer, expand trade and market access, and further strengthen educational and cultural exchanges. Stating that collaboration among the government, private sector, diplomatic community, and civil society was critical for Nepal’s sustainable development, he said HCCN was ready to mobilize its international network, experience and goodwill in support of Nepal’s long-term development priorities and global aspirations.

He also pledged to work with Nepal’s diplomatic community, development partners, business leaders and other stakeholders to further strengthen Nepal’s international image, create opportunities for new economic cooperation and contribute to building a prosperous Nepal connected to the world stronger. Vaidya expressed his gratitude to the members of HCCN for believing in him as dean and also to the outgoing deans and past leadership who have contributed to bringing the institution to where it is today.

The conference has elected Pasang Dawa Sherpa as the Vice Dean of HCCN.