Nepali businesspersons visit the UAE, take initiative to promote tourism, bring investment

KATHMANDU: The delegation of Nepal UAE Chamber of Commerce and Industry has recently held various programs in Dubai and requested counterpart businesspersons for investment and tourism promotion in Nepal. A 13-member visiting team led by the President of the association, Pawan Kumar Agarwal, discussed and interacted with the Dubai Chamber, RAK Chamber of Commerce of Industry, Embassy of Nepal, Abu Dhabi, UAE and Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and took initiatives to enhance business and tourism. Association President Agrawal said that the first visit to Dubai after the formation of Nepal UAE Chamber of Commerce and Industry was a historic success and it would bring positive results in the expansion of bilateral relations and the economic development of Nepal. He expressed his view that their aim to promote bilateral trade relations and to search for opportunities to promote Nepali businesses and tourism in the UAE as well as to attract UAE investment in Nepal was successful. "We have informed the businesspersons in UAE about the business opportunities in Nepal, and they are positive," Agrawal said and added that they have been informed that the association is ready to support them for the investment in Nepal. He opined that this will help bring in Dubai's investment in Nepal. The association said that it had a fruitful meeting with the team led by Omar Abdulaziz Khan at Dubai Chambers. Omar said that this was the first business delegation meeting with the business representatives from Nepal and promised to connect with other government organisations and support the skill development of Nepali workers in the UAE. In the meeting, the association agreed to assist in clarifying the regulations regarding the export of fruits and vegetables to the UAE. During the visit, the association held discussions with the RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The visiting delegation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the aim of increasing Nepal's trade relations with Ras Al Khaimah, one of seven emirates that joined to form the United Arab Emirates. RAK Chamber will provide stalls to Nepali businesspersons at the exhibition to be held in March. According to the association, RAK Chamber is willing to resume commercial flights between Ras Al Khaimah and Nepal. The Chamber has also shown great interest in agricultural opportunities in Nepal. Likewise, the visiting delegation also discussed the possibility of increasing trade and commerce between Nepal and the UAE with the Nepali Embassy in the UAE. The Nepal UAE Chamber has appealed to the Nepali Ambassador in Dubai to provide a dedicated person in the embassy responsible for increasing trade relations with the UAE. The Embassy has assured us of their full support and will soon organise an interaction programme between UAE-based businesses and our members, according to the delegation. Similarly, the association also held discussions with the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industries. The meeting with Federation Secretary General Hamid Mohammed bin Salem and Economic Development Director Ahmed Jamah Al Ghazi was a very fruitful discussion on increasing business relations between the two countries, Association President Agarwal said and added that they were invited to visit Nepal to explore available business opportunities. Association President Agrawal along with Vice President Jeevan Bhandari and Executive Committee members Nishan Rajbhandari, Anoj Rimal, Samir Thapa, Shiva Prasad Ghimire, Sudeep Ghimire, Bimal Kumar Savarthiya, Ramindra Neupane, Anjan Bhandari, Vinay Upadhyay, Vijaya Kumar Chaudhary and Sunil Bhakta Shrestha were in the four-day visit to Dubai.