Kathmandu, 7 May: The European Union Delegation to Nepal is supporting the first EU-Nepal Business Forum, a platform to promote increased contacts between Nepali and EU businesses in Kathmandu on 8-9 May 2023.

Nepal’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies is a partner in this effort undertaken in collaboration with European Economic Chamber-Nepal (EEC-Nepal).

“This is the first event of its kind to promote business to business contacts between EU and Nepal, and we’re confident it will provide new momentum towards expanding our trade and investment relations,” said Nona Deprez, EU Ambassador to Nepal.

“Such contacts are extremely important in the context of Nepal’s graduation from a least developed country, when it will need to use all opportunities to expand trade for investment-led growth,” she added.

The Forum will bring together over 250 participants from Nepal and over 30 foreign participants, including government officials, EU member states representatives, and trade representatives working in the South Asia region.

It will also have participation of academic institutions and businesses, and access to deliberations can be made both in-person and virtually.

The forum will have eight sessions, including trade and investment opportunities in Nepal; the policy, law and infrastructure support needed for investment-led growth, and Nepal’s preparation for LDC graduation.

Other sessions will include focused deliberations on specific investment opportunities in agriculture and agriculture-processing, non-timber forest products and handicrafts; and those in manufacturing and recycling, tourism, information technology and business process outsourcing and energy.