Monday, December 30, 2019

Trans-Himalayan connectivity key for Nepal's development

The trans-Himalayan connectivity is key to Nepal's development and prosperity, according to deputy prime minister and defence minister Ishwor Pokharel.
Addressing one-day conference on ‘Friends of Silk Road Trans-Himalaya Connectivity Cooperation for Shared Prosperity’ organised by Trans- Himalaya Development Center in the Kathmandu, he said that connectivity along the trans-Himalayan region is crucial for Nepal's development.
Saying that adequate discussions were needed to ensure uniformity in understanding the connectivity before initiating any action, he said that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is very relevant for Nepal’s development and Nepal should not get confused.
Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping's remarks about helping Nepal transform to a land-linked country from a landlocked one by opening more customs points, Pokharel also argued that the trans-Himalayan connectivity will bring benefits not just to Nepal but to the whole trans-Himalayan region.
Saying that unprecedented interdependence among countries highlights the importance of connectivity, ambassador of China to Nepal Hou Yanqi said that better roads improve lives of the people. “Strengthening the connectivity in the Himalayan region, the most complicated topography in the world, is of great difficulty,” she said, adding that the challenge will however not stop them. “We made efforts with the hope to deepen the bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and with the view to contribute to Nepal's development agenda that includes graduating from the LDC status at an early date.”
Former Foreign Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, on the occasion, also said that Nepal should be very serious to take maximum benefits from trans-Himalayan connectivity. While adding that identification of project was very crucial based on the expert opinions and the returns of investment, he argued that China could be a good source country for foreign investment to help Nepal generate employment at home and reduce the trade deficit with China.
Likewise, former Nepali ambassador to the US, Dr Shankar Sharma highlighted the need for carrying out more research in several key areas like the impact of railway project to the trade of Nepal and overall economy of Nepal, employment generation, improvement in people's day to day livelihoods and contribution of connectivity to the GDP.
Chair of Trans-Himalaya Development Centre Dr Kalyan Raj Sharma, on the occasion, said that a trans-Himalayan connectivity network will be the best option to end infrastructure gaps and development bottlenecks in the region.

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