The 15th meeting of the Joint Commission (JC) between Nepal and the European Union (EU) discussed gamut of bilateral issues including graduation from LDC, GSP and investment promotion, in Kathmandu today.
A broad range of issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting, according to a press note issued by the Foreign Ministry.
Nepal and the EU are also celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year.
The meeting was co-chaired by foreign secretary Sewa Lamsal and deputy managing director for Asia and the Pacific of the European External Affairs Service of the EU Paola Pampaloni.
The two sides reiterated their commitment to work together in upholding democracy and human rights, promoting good governance, realising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting investment, and coping against global challenges such as climate change.
The Nepali side, on the occasion, highlighted achievements and bottlenecks in the realisation of SDGs.
Likewise, the EU welcomed Nepal’s transition strategy to graduate from LDC status and expressed their commitment to continue their cooperation through the Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP).
Nepal welcomed the EU’s MIP for the term 2021-2027. The Nepali side also appreciated the MIP for aligning with the plans and priorities of Nepal.
Nepal and the EU also reviewed the progress of EU’s development cooperation in various sectors.
The meeting acknowledged the sub-commission meeting on development cooperation held on March 6.
On regional and multilateral processes, Nepal and the EU also discussed about SAARC and BIMSTEC. The two sides underlined the importance of effective multilateral cooperation.
The EU praised Nepal’s contributions to UN Peacekeeping Operations, the press note reads, adding that Nepal and the EU reaffirmed their commitments to cooperate within the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisation (WTO), and other global fora to promote effective multilateralism and the rules-based international order. "Human rights including social inclusion were also discussed at the meeting."
The Nepali side reaffirmed its commitment to upholding human rights and concluding transitional justice as soon as possible.
The EU expressed hope on the early conclusion of Nepal’s peace process.
The two sides unanimously agreed that corruption, including money laundering and financing of terrorism, is a major impediment to sustainable development.
The EU took note of Nepal’s ongoing legislative efforts and underlined the importance of compliance and enforcement, the press note adds.
The EU commended Nepal’s remarkable strides on inclusive participation and women empowerment. Both sides praised the EU flagship action 'Empowered Women, Prosperous Nepal', launched last year by the EU and the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens of Nepal.
The EU commended Nepal for the child grant schemes and encouraged its expansion.
The EU also appreciated the achievements made by Nepal in its socio-economic transformation. The two sides appraised the recent developments in upholding the democratic processes and institutions, and stressed the important role of civil society and media for strengthening democracy and good governance.
"The Nepali side underlined their multiple vulnerabilities of natural disasters, exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, and discussed climate adaptation finance," it reads, adding that the EU complimented Nepal for its position on Climate Change and the ‘Mountain Agenda’ during COP28 and also on its ambitious goal of reaching net zero carbon status by 2045.
"The Nepali side expressed gratitude for the EU's generous assistance following the Jajarkot earthquake, in post-earthquake resilient reconstruction and recovery efforts, and appreciated the cooperative partnership in disaster risk reduction."
The two sides exchanged their views on bilateral trade relations, including the criteria for acceding to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).
Nepal, on the occasion, also expressed appreciation for the exchanges under the Erasmus+ programme, and the scholarships offered for Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree programmes, including people-to-people contacts.
The EU and Nepal underlined that air safety remains a key priority area in their bilateral relations. Nepal assured of addressing all observations of the EU’s assessment visit in September 2023, while the EU will support Nepal in this process. Both sides agreed to follow-up at technical levels.
The next Joint Commission meeting will take place in Brussels next year.
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