Quality certification can help boost trade

The SAARC has to develop quality infrastructure in the international, regional and national level to share benefit from the trade, according to finance minister Shankar Prasad Koirala.

Addressing the inaugural session of second meeting of SAARC Expert Committee of Certification, in Dhulikhel, here today, he said that the negative issues of the health, security and trade has hurt the international trade. "The quality certification will help establish the good practice and increase third country trade, which will not only increase productivity of agriculture, industry and service sector but also health and education sectors.

One fifth of the total global population lives in South Asia that has huge potential of human and natural resources, he added. "However, the contribution of SAARC nations in globe trade is negligible."

The intra-regional trade also stands at the lowest level of at around three per cent, Koirala said, asking to enhance the quality of certification experts in easing the technical barriers of trade. "The cooperation among the SAARC nations in certification will help integrate the regional economically."