Nepal, Qatar agree on collaboration in eight sectors

KATHMANDU: Nepal and Qatar have reached an agreement and understanding to collaborate in the sectors of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and industry and commerce. These agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed today during the State Visit of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, according to Amrit Bahadur Rai, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

The two countries signed the MoU on collaboration in the area of art and culture, the exchange of news between the official news agencies of Nepal and Qatar, and cooperation in the education sector. The agreements and MoUs were signed in the presence of the Qatari Emir and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, following bilateral talks between them at Soaltee Kathmandu today. During the high-level bilateral meeting, matters relating to bilateral cooperation, mutual interests, strengthening of bilateral relations, and common interests among others were discussed, according to Rupak Sapkota, foreign affairs advisor to the Prime Minister. On the occasion, the two sides observed the signing and exchange of agreements/MoUs on communications, sports, science and technology, industry, and commerce.

The agreement signed today is on Cooperation and Exchange of News between Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) and Qatar News Agency (QNA). The agreements signed include the MoU for Cooperation in the Fields of Culture and Arts between the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal and the Ministry of Culture of the State of Qatar; the MoU for Cooperation in the Field of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research between the Government of Nepal and the Government of Qatar; the MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Youth and Sports between the Government of Nepal and the Government of Qatar; the MoU for Cooperation between the Office of the Attorney General of Nepal and the Public Prosecution of the State of Qatar; and the MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Diplomatic Training and Education between The Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) of the Government of Nepal and The Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar.

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Padam Giri, and Qatar's State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sultan Bin Saad Al Muraikhi, signed the MoUs at the government level on behalf of Nepal and Qatar, respectively. Similarly, an MoU related to the exchange of investment has been signed between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce in the private sector. FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal and Sheikh Khalif Bin Jassim Al Thani signed the MoU on behalf of FNCCI and Qatar Chamber of Commerce, respectively.

The Qatari Emir who arrived here on Tuesday afternoon on a two-day State visit at the friendly invitation of President Ramchandra Paudel returned home today. President Paudel, Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang, and Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal, among other high-ranking officials, saw him off at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

This was the Emir's first visit to Nepal since the two countries established diplomatic ties on January 21, 1977. Nepal set up its embassy in Doha on July 11, 2000, and Qatar established its embassy in Kathmandu in August 2011.

(With inputs from RSS)

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