Nepal, Germany sign labour agreement

Nepal and Germany today signed a joint declaration of intent (DoI) on Skilled Labour Migration and Knowledge Exchange.

During the signing ceremony at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany, minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Sharat Singh Bhandari and State Secretary (Deputy Minister) of Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany Leonie Gebers were present, according to a press note issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Berlin, Germany.

Nepal's ambassador to Gremany Ram Kaji Khadka and director at the lnternational Affairs, German Federal Employment Agency Michael van der Cammen signed the JDol, on behalf of their respective governments in the presence of Nepal's visiting delegation led by the minister Bhandari.

The signing of the JDol was preceded by a bilateral meeting between the high-level Nepali delegation led by minister Bhandari and the high-level German delegation led by State Secretary (Deputy Minister).

On the occasion, the leaders of two delegations shared views, primarily, on the agenda of Nepal-Germany bilateral relations, skilled labour migration, Nepal's commitment to legal migration, workers' welfare and social security, German language and vocational training, and circular migration.

During the meeting, the two leaders expressed happiness over the growing relations between the two countries in recent years and stated that the signing of the JDol would be the first step in the roadmap towards fair and legal labour migration from Nepal to Germany. 

Bhandari, on the occasion, also expressed Nepal's willingness to collaborate with the friendly Government of Germany in all sectors of mutual benefits.

Likewise, Gebers also stated that the signing of the JDol would open the way forward for institutional arrangement in immigrating Nepali skilled workers as per the need of the German job market. She also highlighted the positive sides of the recent German Skilled lmmigration Act which has eased the process of recruiting foreign skilled workers in Germany.

The Nepali delegation being led by the minister included secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security Kewal Prasad Bhandari, ambassador of Nepal to Germany Ram Kaji Khadka, and other officials from the Labour Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Embassy of Nepal in Berlin.

The German delegation led by Gebers included the high-level officials from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Federal Employment Agency and other relevant Departments of Germany.

Likewise, the Nepali delegation yesterday held discussions with the delegation of lnternational Labour Organisation (lLO) Berlin Bureau led by Dr Annette Niederfranke, Director at the Embassy of Nepal in Berlin.

During the meeting, various labour related issues including welfare of workers, measures against the exploitation and trafficking of workers, inclusive foreign employment and reintegration of migrant workers in the county of origin were discussed. ln the afternoon, the Nepali delegation participated in an interaction programme with the Nepali diaspora living in Germany organised by the Embassy.

The Nepali delegation is holding a meeting with the representatives of private sectors of Germany on Wednesday (tomorrow), and the visiting delegation is scheduled to leave Germany for Nepal on Thursday.